The Gravity of Touch. 2026. Acrylic on canvas, 60×48 in. By Payal Agarwal.
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The Gravity of Touch

Shadows reach for a woman in red; the pressure is psychological.

Year 2026
Medium Acrylic on canvas
Dimensions 60 × 48 in (152 × 122 cm)
Status In Exhibition
Price $18,468 USD
Currently on view

She Holds These Truths · Arts for Vets

Grand Forks, ND. Through . While the piece is on view, sale inquiries may route via the venue. Happy to introduce you directly via the form below.

About the work

A woman in red gown surrounded by demonic shadows that reach toward her from darkness. The shadows don't attack. They reach. They exert pressure. Touch here isn't physical contact — it's psychological weight.

Performance is a tool for protection. The elegant dress functions as costume. But the chaos is already woven into the scene. It isn't invading from outside.

More views

Studio view

The full canvas rests on an easel, the red-gowned figure suspended amid encroaching shadow hands. The Gravity of Touch, 2026, by Payal Agarwal.
The full canvas rests on an easel, the red-gowned figure suspended amid encroaching shadow hands.

Details

A tight crop on the woman's face and shoulders reveals flushed cheeks, parted lips, and wind-swept hair. The Gravity of Touch, 2026, by Payal Agarwal.
A tight crop on the woman's face and shoulders reveals flushed cheeks, parted lips, and wind-swept hair.
The upper half of the composition centers the figure as the artist's hand brushes a shadow nearby. The Gravity of Touch, 2026, by Payal Agarwal.
The upper half of the composition centers the figure as the artist's hand brushes a shadow nearby.
Talon-tipped clawed hands reach toward the billowing red fabric in an intimate study of pressure. The Gravity of Touch, 2026, by Payal Agarwal.
Talon-tipped clawed hands reach toward the billowing red fabric in an intimate study of pressure.

In the studio

Payal's hand glides a palette knife across the grey shadow field surrounding the figure's arm. The Gravity of Touch, 2026, by Payal Agarwal.
Payal's hand glides a palette knife across the grey shadow field surrounding the figure's arm.
Payal Agarwal stands beside the finished canvas, her dark sweater echoing the painting's shadow palette. The Gravity of Touch, 2026, by Payal Agarwal.
Payal Agarwal stands beside the finished canvas, her dark sweater echoing the painting's shadow palette.

Awards

Special Merit, Painting & Other Media

Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery · 16th Annual Figurative Exhibition · March 2026 · 455 entries from 24 countries

Press

Grand Forks Herald

"Grand Forks area groups to host art exhibit, workshops celebrating International Women's Day" · March 2026 · preview of She Holds These Truths group exhibition

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