liactuallee

liactuallee graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities in 2016 and later earned a postgraduate diploma in Aesthetics, Criticism, and Theory from Jnanapravaha, Mumbai. 

li makes art as an act of survival. The fragility of identity labels has led actuallee to embrace their transient nature. Having grown up between three continents, their search for belonging often came short which motivated them to create future worlds where they do not struggle to be their amorphous self. Focusing on the possibilities of envisioning collective destinies, they use their imagination and obsessiveness to escape the confines of the current conditions. 

By weaving and stitching ecological fiction into their work, li encourages viewers to explore alternative realities informed by overlooked ecosystems which lead to new ways of thinking. This is expressed through the fluidity present in the art they make,  speculative characters and landscapes that are equally filled with spontaneities and intricacies.

Through repetitive gestures—whether a loop, stitch, or mark—li constructs environments that evolve through re-articulation. Grounded in hope and utopian visions, their work honors the value of natural resources, including human labor. Repetition becomes a way to expand visual storytelling, connecting craft, queerness, and ecology. 

li’s interdisciplinary practice has further compelled them to inquire into materials like fiber, ceramics, upcycled textiles, recycled and cotton yarn to cultivate a practice in soft sculptures. The artist has participated in artist residencies, such as Space 118 Mumbai, and Space Studio Baroda and exhibited at Emami Art Kolkata and Art Incept in New Delhi. li has left their mark in their community by painting public murals in Bandra, Mumbai. Their inaugural solo exhibition, "Soft Invasions, Stitchpunk Visions," took place at Method Bandra in June 2023. They were honored with the Artdemic "Textile & Fiber Art" Grant 2024 and participated in edition two of SA Ladakh, Asia's highest land art festival. Most recently in 2024, they completed a residency at Hampi Art Labs. actuallee has also been selected as an artist-in-residence for India Art Fair 2025, and continues to work and live in Mumbai.