Artist Spotlight: Sonia Adlakha

Be One Gallery is pleased to invite the artist Sonia Adlakha to be featured in our Art Times, and we’re truly excited to hear more about her artistic journey and creative practice.

Artist Sonia Adlakha is a multidisciplinary artist whose work has evolved over decades through both artistic practice and experience in interior and spatial design. Her unique approach brings together texture, materiality, and a strong sense of space, and we’re delighted to learn more about the inspirations and experiences behind her work today.

Artist's Portrait
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About the Artist

Can you introduce yourself and tell us a little about your background & How did you first get interested in art?

 I’m a multidisciplinary artist working across painting, texture, and material exploration. My practice has evolved over several decades, shaped as much by lived experience as by formal learning. Alongside art, I spent many years working in interior and spatial design, which gave me a deep sensitivity to surfaces, materials, and scale. When I returned fully to the studio, all of that experience quietly became part of my language as an artist.

​Art was never something I consciously “got into” at one moment. It was always present. I grew up in a home filled with creativity, music, literature and conversations around these ideas. My father was a musician. My grandfather and uncle were painters and architects. They encouraged observation, skill and discipline from a young age.
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For me, painting feels instinctive—both as a response to the world and a way of listening inward.
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Artwork by Artist. Sonia

Artistic Process & Style

​How would you describe your art style?
My work exists between abstraction and subtle figuration, often creating contemplative spaces that feel open-ended rather than narrative. I hope to evoke stillness, memory and inner landscapes through layered surfaces, light, texture and restrained symbolism. I want viewers to pause and discover their own emotional and spiritual connection with the work rather than offer fixed meaning.

​Can you walk us through your creative process from idea to finished piece?
 My process often begins with research and writing before I start painting. The idea and concept need to become clear and, in a way, believed. From there on, the actual work is approached through this understanding and developed intuitively.
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There is always a sense of intention, almost like a consistent practice of prayer. At times, there is also a sense of urgency, as if translating thoughts into abstract form.

Gradually, layers are built, and sometimes removed in parts. The work progresses through reflection. When I feel stuck, I step away and return to it later, allowing a new conversation to begin with the canvas.

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Artist Sonia at Work

Inspiration & Influences

​What inspires you most—other artists, nature, society, personal experiences?
 Inspiration comes from many places. Books, conversations, emotions, silence. But more than anything, it comes from observation and presence. I think artists are naturally more receptive, and that openness allows things to enter and transform into something else.

Are there specific artists or art movements that influenced your style?
I have been deeply moved by artists who create emotional and contemplative spaces through colour, light and restraint. Artists such as Mark Rothko for emotional depth, J. M. W. Turner for light and atmosphere, and V. S. Gaitonde for silence and meditative abstraction have been particularly influential.
Indian philosophy, Zen Buddhism, architecture, and various healing modalities that I practice have also been absorbed into a visual language that feels increasingly personal.

How do your cultural background or personal experiences influence your art?

My upbringing had a strong influence on me. There was an emphasis on reading, philosophy, meditation and alternate healing practices. All of this naturally found its way into my work. Living in different countries, and learning from teachers and mentors across cultures, has deepened my sense of a shared human experience. This quiet universality often underlies my practice.

Artwork by Artist. Sonia
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Challenges & Growth

​What challenges have you faced as an artist, and how did you overcome them?
 One of the biggest challenges has been staying true to my own pace and artistic voice in a world that often values constant visibility and rapid output. With the pressures of social media, technology and ever-changing trends, it can be easy to feel the need to constantly reinvent oneself simply to stand out.
Over time, I have learned to trust stillness, process and consistency—allowing my work to evolve organically and reveal its own direction and voice.
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Has your style evolved over time? If yes, how?
 Very much so. My earlier work was more observational and representational. Over time, it has become increasingly intuitive, layered and concept-driven, while moving further into abstraction.
While the materials and visual language have evolved, the emotional and philosophical core of my work has remained consistent.

Artwork by Artist. Sonia
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Advice & Insight

What advice would you give aspiring artists?

Stay with it. Practice regularly. Observe deeply. And don’t wait for perfect conditions. Work with what you have.

How do you see the local art scene evolving in Singapore?
Having lived and exhibited in Singapore, I have seen its art scene become increasingly dynamic and globally aware. Its multicultural environment creates a natural exchange of ideas, which I find deeply inspiring.
I also see growing curiosity towards contemporary practices that are rooted in tradition and open to experimentation, something I resonate with in my own work.
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How do you balance creativity and commercial aspects of art?

For me, the work always comes first. If the process is honest, everything else finds its place. It is important to remain grounded in your practice while also being aware of the ecosystem you are part of.

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Thank you, Artist Sonia Adlakha, for sharing your journey and insights with us and our audience. It has been a pleasure learning more about your artistic practice and creative perspective.


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