a new world

Thought behind the thought:

Recently a friend of mine was visiting India. This particular friend has moved to America decades ago and has had an illustrious career in advertising there. He had come to visit me and liked my home which is of a very traditional Indian kind. We got talking about Indian Art and he mentioned Sonabai. The story was so fascinating that the first thing I did was wrote a quote in her honour. Sonabai is truly remarkable as you will discover when you read about her art, her life and her journey.

About the Art:

Sonabai Rajawar was in complete isolation for 15 years and lived with her husband and son in a small village, Puhphutara, India. Her life was closed and empty and she had no contact with the outside world. Although Sonabai had all her faculties intact and was of a sound mind and body her only disability was her isolation and confinement. She began creating her own world by expressing herself through art .With absolutely no training in art she is a self taught artist who was guided by her intuition and innate sense of style .With the limited resources and materials she had access to, she began her art exploration. She started with creating mud toys for her child to play using the clay in her yard. Grinding spices, herbs and minerals to be used as paints she incorporated hay and sticks as reinforcement to strengthen the sculptures. It used to get really hot in the summers so out of necessity she crafted jalis or window lattices from  clay and bamboo. Her lattices are unique with birds and animals integrated within them making them very vibrant and alive. Her inconspicuous beginnings were  slowly recognized by the art art world and soon she made a niche for herself. Her art was commemorated by the government of India and  she was honoured with the President’s Award. Since her discovery her work has been exhibited all over the world ad she has taught her art to a lot of artists. Sonabai passed away in 2007.

Stephen Huyler, Ph.D., an anthropologist, author and photographer has researched Sonabai's work for several years and is the author of, Sonabai: Another Way of Seeing. The book talks about various aspects of her life and the people and artists she influenced.

Sonabai is a true example of courage, strength and talent. Her work also teaches us that no matter how frugal your resources are, how limited your reach is and how far flung are you placed in the world, if you have ingenuity and talent the world will recognise it one day. If you want to change your life you are going to need to change “how you see it”.


Credits:

http://folkart.org/mag/sonabai-rajawar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z6FTMd4tC0

http://www.mingei.org/exhibition/sonabai/

https://redscarabtravelandmedia.wordpress.com/category/travel/india/culture-heritage/

shero

Thought behind the thought:

Social media is an interesting place to meander sometimes. It’s amazing; the lives people live or project to be living. Exotic holidays, celebrations and achievements are all well documented and presented in the form of stunning photographs. Yet the other day a photo was shared that shook me to the core of my being. It was a photo of a group of girls and all of them had one thing in common. They were all victims of acid attacks. It shames me to think that we are the so called human beings, “the evolved species”. Are we really civilized, cultured and sensitive people? How in the world can we unleash such brutality on innocent people? Is loving someone an emotion that makes you harm them beyond imagination? Is hating someone reason enough to cause such pain anguish and trauma? So who do these attackers think they are that the world owes it to them, to fulfill their desires? It’s time we stood behind our daughters and became more supportive and strong. It’s time we are no more bystanders but come to the aid of a victim. It’s definitely time to ask ourselves am I being a Human.

About The Art:

Lakshmi is an acid attack survivor herself. She began the Stop Acid Attack campaign to give a voice to victims of such heinous violence. She wanted to create a safe haven for these girls where they would get support, care and advice on building a self sustaining life. Café Sheroes Hangout (She Heroes) is an attempt to put these fighters back into the mainstream society that had shun them in the first place. It is an effort not only to make them financially independent but also to give them confidence and courage to face their hardships. The café serves food prepared by the fighters. It is a readers' cafe that displays and sells works crafted by the Sheroes. It also houses a community radio hub and works as a space to conduct activism workshops. Ironically the café is situated right opposite the Taj Mahal in Agra. One, a symbol of a man honouring the woman he loved and the other, a sanctuary to women who suffered brutality at the very hands of people who claimed to have “loved” them, or who were their “loved ones”.

On their web page a few lines are written that give you a sense of the horror that these girls face.
“When dreams die, they do not make much noise. When hopes are crushed, the sighs are soundless. Acid corrodes gently. Eating away at her skin, bones and her dreams. The rest of her life begins now. A battle against unending, excruciating pain, deformity, social negligence, ostracisation and an invisible justice system.

 Credits:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/support-sheros-hangout-run-by-acid-attack-fighters

http://chhanv.org/

gravity glue

Thought Behind the thought:

A friend of mine frequently goes paragliding and I am completely awe struck by the whole idea of being in the air high above the ground and flying like a bird. I am a bit jittery about air and sea travel and love the connection I have with the ground when I am on a road trip or travelling by train. I eagerly wait for the tyres to make contact with the runway or the boat to reach the harbour. The security that hard ground provides us is unparalleled. So are we so meant to be attached to the earth’s surface by some magic glue? Apparently some of us are not and being propelled down a bungee line or jumping off a cliff with a para glider makes them one with themselves. So then, can we categorise humans as amphibian humans, reptilian humans and avian humans? It’s an interesting thought but it goes without saying no matter how high you fly or deep you plunge you will always return to the earth’s surface thanks to gravity!

About The Art:

Stone balancing is what Michael Grab does but he elevates the entire process to a new dimension by turning it into an art form. Gravity defying balancing and artistically composed arrangements are his forte. Slow breathing, steady hands, keen eye, knowledge about the weight distribution and infinite patience are only some of the skill sets required to do what he does. His compositions are almost meditative and he believes, these creations sometimes in the most turbulent situations, are so still that they inspire him. They teach him to be calm and unmoved during challenges that life has in store. His compositions are not joined by any adhesives but stay connected by what he calls “gravity glue”. Why does he do them? Well they provide him a chance to distress, connect and introspect.

Do go to his website to learn more about his philosophy and process of working.

Photo and Information Credits:

http://www.gravityglue.com/