Devi portraits

Devi in progress

Sketchbook

Shakti

This term I have ditched the Fine Art way of life and am an Animation student! For the time being anyway... Haven't actually started animating yet but got some ideas flowing and concept art.

Inspired by my played out theme of the Hindu goddesses being representational of WOMAN, I've looked at the multi-faceted personality of Kali, and tried to express it through imagery.

Goddess...Snakes...Lotuses....Tongues

Ya get the idea.

'Mehendi Me'

Last term's project I called 'Mehendi Me'- a performance/participatory piece where i asked others to henna my skin. 

Living in the UK, it's becoming increasingly diverse. 'Ethnic minorities' can be visible or non-visible, but who defines your identity as a 'minority'? I explored the idea that a person's identity is in fact not determined by themselves, but by the people around them... How much of your identity is in your own hands....

By surrendering my body to the hands of others I was illustrating this lack of control.

I am part Indian and that shows through in me. Mehendi stains are a physical indication of my 'minority'...

Plus, henna is fun! 

Here's a wee snippet of the day...

Bloodlines

Mother Tongue

So in my most recent work I've strayed FURTHER from my preferred comfort zone and put together an audio piece. 
*cringe*


Language being the dominant form of communication and therefore connection, the fact that Hindi is a foreign language to me suggests a division between me and my heritage. I recorded the phonetic sounds of both English and Hindi soundsystems, in a similar format that would be found on educational CDs. I then synched up the timing (for no other reason than that it sounded hypnotic and creepy). This clash of sounds emphasises the simultaneous differences and similarities between the two languages. By designating each recording to their seperate speakers it means that I can introduce space into the piece, so that the listener hears the recordings coming from different directions. This clash is intended to induce a feeling of displacement and of being torn about which sounds to focus on.

WELL that's how I justified it to my tutors anyway!

It's meant to be in an installation setting, but for similar effects listen with headphones innit. And bask in the ethnic-identity-cultural-displacement vibezzzz.

The Fallibility of Strength

Bindi

I'm a muthaf*ckin Monster

9 Pints

The things you can do with Red Rice...

I Hate Masking Tape...

When is weird too weird?

Grotesque or friggin beaut?

The ultimate question.

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bin·di (bin′dē)

noun

a small dot worn on the forehead by women in India