Stand - Alones
I find myself drawn to creang solitary figures and refer to them as "Stand - Alones" - complete in themselves, self-assured, unwaveringly brave and steadfast in their outlook, decisions and values. I oen draw crows alongside human figures to depict loyal companionship. Human figures are devoid of heads and are instead replaced by a multude of short broken lines to represent volality of the mind.
"Nothing can bring you peace but yourself." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Ridhi Parekh
My interest in cra and cra forms was first sparked by visits to museums in my very own city, Mumbai and gradually museums in different cies across the country and overseas. I would find myself intrigued by rare items that reflected the culture of the land they originated in, the bespoke crasmanship, hours of toil, unflinching dedicaon and commitment a crasman makes towards each piece. Through years of research and direct communicaon with the arsans wherever possible (on many occasions there have been communicaon / language barriers) I have come to realize that many of these cra forms are rapidly dwindling and on the brink of exncon. While appreciaon for these cra forms remains in abundance, for obvious economic reasons, the arsans’ children are increasingly pursuing other career opons, the prospects of which seem more definite and promising. My love for all things arsc and a desire to document the same in order to preserve and showcase our rich and diverse heritage ulmately led to the making of this collecon. In my own way, I pay homage to Indian arsans and their exceponal crasmanship. Covid-19 was hard on all of us, but it wreaked havoc on crasmen and their livelihoods - many were compelled to turn to alternate odd jobs in order to feed their families.
- Neha Parekh