SHARMISTHA RAY

Geometry of Play, 2026

Painted murals 

Geometry of Play by Sharmistha Ray is commissioned for Arts Landing, a new outdoor civic space in the Cultural District envisioned and operated by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.

Sharmistha Ray is an artist, writer, and educator whose interdisciplinary practice spans painting, drawing, installation, and public art. Born in Kolkata and raised in Kuwait before moving to the United States, Ray’s work is shaped by experiences across South Asia, the Middle East, and the United States. Their practice explores the complexities of culture, queerness, and identity through vibrant geometric abstraction. Drawing from South Asian visual traditions, Ray’s work engages contemporary dialogues around space, embodiment, and belonging. They are a founding member of the feminist artist collective Hilma’s Ghost and currently teach at Carnegie Mellon University.

For Arts Landing, Ray presents Geometry of Play, a vibrant ground mural commissioned for the pickleball courts. Painted directly onto the playing surface, the work transforms the courts into a dynamic visual landscape, merging the logic of game design with the fluidity of abstract painting. Drawing inspiration from the geometric structures of historic game boards, including the enduring influence of Indian Pachisi (later adapted into the American game Parcheesi), the mural reflects how segmented spaces guide movement, interaction, and strategy. Interlocking circles, triangles, grids, and pathways evoke both kaleidoscopic mandalas and architectural ornamentation while echoing the visual systems that organize gameplay across cultures.

The mural’s palette draws from the full ROYGBIV spectrum, referencing the rainbow as a symbol of inclusion, visibility, and belonging. By extending the color spectrum across the courts, Ray foregrounds the idea that every participant has a place within the larger composition. The work embraces color as a visual language of plurality and interconnectedness, where difference becomes a source of collective vitality rather than division.

As players move across the court, they activate shifting relationships between pattern, body, and space. The mural resonates with pickleball’s reputation as an accessible and highly social sport, one that welcomes participants across ages, abilities, and experience levels. Reflecting this democratic spirit, Geometry of Play imagines the court as a shared civic space where play fosters connection, cooperation, and mutual recognition. Through abstraction, Ray creates an environment that celebrates joy, inclusivity, and the possibility of encountering one another across identities, generations, and ways of seeing.