Kainaat grew up in India with a difficult childhood that led to CPTSD and depression:
"You go through these phases where you feel really hopeless and so for me, the main things I struggle with are loneliness, loss of connection."

Part of this stemmed from not feeling she fit in physically: "Snide comments they sort of just creep under your skin... Like I’m not aesthetic to look at, not pleasing to look at."

This developed into body dysmorphia, disordered eating, and poor sleep. Recovery for her has meant finding inner strength and:
"Learning to ground myself and gaining strength from myself." But it also led to hyper-independence: "I came to rely overly on myself... a lot of the work I’ve had to do has been to learn to rely on other people... you want other people to get to know you. But then you’re so used to them not doing it that you’re scared of actually trying to make that effort."

She described this disconnection as living behind translucent glass: "I feel like I tried to show myself to other people, but they don’t really see it... You interact with people and they see you... but they don’t actually see you."

Tattoos have become a source of empowerment: "It’s made me really value my skin because my skin is the canvas."

The painting reflects her philosophy, reinforced by graffiti reading Society Jaaye Bhaad Mein:
"People around me will always have comments... so might as well just do whatever I want, and have a good time doing it."

Of the artwork, she said:
"It’s beautiful!! I really love it!... you’re a part of the world, the shop, but segregated and separated and people look at you and you look at them but they don’t really pay much attention."