Spanning India, East Africa and the UK, Nalini explores the connected histories of Arpita Shah, her mother and her grandmother. Bringing contemporary portraits and still lifes together with family photographs and heirloom objects, the series traces the effects of migration, distance and loss across generations. Shah’s search through family archives and visits to places connected with her maternal ancestors led to new discoveries about their lives and relationships. The title is her grandmother’s name and the Sanskrit word for lotus. Flowers recur as offerings to the women in her family: the lotus symbolises femininity, fertility and rebirth, while bougainvillea connects memories of India and East Africa. Photographs of bodies, possessions and places bring these family histories together.

Silver Strands shows a comb with grey hair caught in its teeth, resting on patterned bedding. In her 2019 review for The Scotsman, Susan Mansfield draws attention to this comb on a pillow as an example of the emotional significance that Shah locates in ordinary things. She connects the recurring hair and flower motifs to a shared experience across generations of women.