final installation

 I think overall my project and exhibition went successfully.I am pleased with the range of work I have produced,although I would have spent more time on certain pieces rather than others. After making some alteration ,These are just a few photos so that one can get a general idea of the atmospheric content of my installations and how it looks when all the elements like mixed media piece,jars with spices,toran,sitting arrangements dress,come together

 

Begning Of My Final Mixed Media Piece

Painting on a big or over-size has its own delights and challenges pre planning- I made little plan before starting my final piece. I stapled the fabriana on the wall,the scale I am  working on  is 302.5cm x 148.5cm.This time I had to remember to make figures smaller to fit the background.  The piece will have five figures including myself in the centre. I laid the photographs according to the plan so I can refer it back.. I chose it to work with mixed media because  it can take so many forms. The sky's the limit! the project itself is blending two culture together. Variety of my artworks are  created  using mixed media. I will be using acrylic , watercolour, watercolour pencils, ink,oil pastels ,threads,fabrics,emulsion paint,and soldering iron to engrave maps.

  I manage to finish this piece bit late than I expected.Main problems I faced while doing this piece are

coping with large scale  and  proportions

I found working on  the  large scale of  challenging in every aspect. So I tried  dividing the fabriano up into five parts  each portion with one figure in it.this parts varied in size.I  tried to finish  a section at a time rather than working on the whole canvas at once.to get the proportions right I  

Drawing and perspective problems are  more acute by the fact that I need to encompass more surface.I Pulled back often to get wider image at a glance.Classmates even gave their valuable tips which improved my work. At few places I even took help of projector to get the accurate proportions.

 Allow More Time to Finish a Big Painting

A large scale took   longer to paint than your ‘normal’ size .I was lagging behind because it took me longer than I thought .A schedule of work is very useful to hammer out a larger piece. Since it is painted in stages, it is essential to maintain a rhythm.

 acrylic paints dries out quickly .especially when I used for blog printing.from my previous experiment  on large scale  I learnt many lessons, which were very useful for this final piece,for example-I should avoid  mixing  acrylic paint  too vigorously— because this  produced bubbles which  caused cracks and also avoid using  too much water when mixing colours or applying the paint, as this was causing acrylics to lose their quality and thick texture.I am glad that my previous experiment  on large gave me good chance to improve in this final piece but also that I incorporated more techniques like blog printing which I did not include in that trial piece.

overall I am very pleased with the outcome according to me the  heavily textured mixed media piece has worked well .

 

All In The Best Possible Taste With Grayson Perry.

Grayson Perry whom we visited, has done  a documentary called "ALL IN THE BEST POSSIBLE TASTE WITH GRAYSON PERRY" The Tuner Prize Winning Artist Embarks on a cultural safari of British Taste,encapsulating his findings each week in a series of tapestries.Grayson perry has been a huge inspiration to my work recently. I love his style of doing things and I love how courageous he is to make pieces so personal to him - something which helped me in this project.In this documnetry the Artist Grayson Perry explores British tastes, using his discoveries as inspiration for a work of art.

 I have  watched  this program -It's brilliant how Perry shows us how he draws inspiration from classical art such as series on Rakewell., and associates the themes and compositions whilst using his own interpretations, insights and style. 

The Agony in the Car Park is a distant relative of Bellini's Agony in the Garden. The scene is on a hill outside Sunderland

 

 The Upper Class At Bay 2012

 

Toran -sacred doorway hanging

 

I undoubtedly owe my love of embroidery and fabrics to my Indian background. As long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by the variety inventiveness, the richness of texture and colour of Indian textiles of all kinds. I especially like embroidery of Gujarat place where I was born. The embroidery of Kutch flourished in the late

19^th and early 20^th centuries. The Sindh and Kutch embroidery are similar to the interlace stitch of Spain and Germany. Some other native stitches and the use of mirrors gives it a totally different appearance. In Indian embroidery the richest in design, stitches and usage of bright colour combination is of Gujarat & Rajasthan. As a small child I would watch my mother embroidering on different  fabrics. she have embroidered many bedsheets,toran,cushions,quilts and many dresses .i used to sit next to her  and watch her carefully,how she works. It seemed pure magic!to me . I was so anxious to grow up and do what she did. I would proudly  say that  she is  my inspiration  .she always says that it is important to retain some  aspect of our heritage before they are forgotten. for her embroidery is way of keeping tradition and i believe in it  too. Few techniques,stitches ( geometric repeated stitch ) which she learnt from my grand mother  she wanted me to learn it  as well. 

The project "WALK IN MY SHOES" is about  my memories which I have collected through my journey .so creating a toran fits in best. I aim to include some traditional embroidery motifs from both culture I have learnt from my mother but i have also looked artist like Munni Srivastava's work.

Selecting suitable fabric to create toran. My fabric of choice was red velvet therefore I bought some red velvet to start my work .red velvet didn't work because after cutting it it started loosing its pile(structure and shape).than I bought white pure cotton material which didn't work either because it was to light .Finally I bought red linen material it took me long cutting its edges in scallop shape even after cutting it started frilling over come this problem I had to over-lock its edges using machine.

These are two torans  which i show at New Walk Art Gallery In Leicester during my visit.

 

Selecting suitable fabric to create toran. My fabric of choice was red velvet therefore I bought some red velvet to start my work .red velvet didn't work because after cutting it it started loosing its pile(structure and shape).Then I bought white pure cotton material which didn't work either because it was to light .Finally I bought red linen material it took me long cutting its edges in scallop shape even after cutting it started friling .Over come this problem I had to over-lock its edges using over-locking machine.

I have photographed my little cousin in two different  costumes,one in western dress other in typical indian dress with flute in her hand .Many torans  shows religious figures like lord Krishna and Ganesha.lord krishna is usually found with flute .Urvi my cousin would represent me in this project.

I have printed  the photograph on white fabric and then stitched over toran .i have used blanket stitch with golden metallic thread.these doesn't seem to work as background is too bright so  i had to take it off and think of something else .

 Selecting Embroidery Motifs 

To find good selection of motif i looked many books and visited many places. many of these are based on traditional Indian designs.most of the Indian embroidery  motifs are from my mother's embroidery work which she did over the years.this one with two parrots and flower was on one of the wall hangings, which is  among   her recent work.

i have used white liquid chalk marker to draw and then used different stitches like running stitch,chain stitch,stem stitch and rabari tanka-(is popular Indian stitch extensively to fill in the shapes).

 Mirror Work

I have been always  fascinated by mirror work .Mirror work has now become a part of the ethnic chic fashion world.where small mirror discs are fixed with closely worked silken thread.i have usually seen that mirror work is done on bright background . Chain stitch and stem stitch surrounding  the large mirror .i have also used green beads in between daisy stitch.

  

This particular design of two peacocks is one of my favorite.I found this among my mothers old embroidery work.i have used running stitch,stem stitch.Rabari tanka and mirror work using very small round mirrors.Further down the embroidery motif of two elephants is from bed-sheet.I have used thin white wool to do chain stitch . On top I have embroidered "WALK IN MY SHOES" using chain stitch and I also used green beads.on top left side "WELCOME" is embroidered and on top right side  "SWAGATAM"which means welcome.

 

This is traditional British design.It is printed cretonne fabric wall hanging,depicting a bird of paradise in a pomegranate tree 1872 house,Lincolnshire .

 Beads,chain stitch,stem stitch,buttonhole stitch,daisy stitch and running stitch are more frequently used in this embroidery motif.

I found this particular design in  book called pattern and design by Sian Evans.Detail on a Pietra dura cabinet part of the Florentine cabinet.1620.charlecote park,Warwickshire.

Painting door frame white and putting  Toran up.I am pleased with the work I think it has worked well.

unit -7 proposing amajor project

Proposal-Unit Seven

‘Walk In My Shoes’ is an invitation to the viewers to do just that!  My final project will be a large mixed media piece with significant items from two cultures. I associate colours, aroma and seasons with occasions in my life. For example the smell of Dettol, triggers memories of my boarding school life in India .I aim to show the correlation between the East and the West; India with the United Kingdom, by using several techniques. I am using a combination of heavy -layered collage, fabrics, maps, wax resist and soldering iron techniques. I plan then to create a toran as a sacred gateway to my exhibition and will also make use of memorable objects including glass jars. My show will involve all five senses; sight, touch, smell, hearing and taste .For example I will be using music from my two cultures. This will help the audience to engage more effectively. The project will reflect my feelings, images and thoughts, as I moved from India to the UK. It will show the richness of two contrasting cultures, as I settled in Nuneaton and assimilated different ways and mode of life, yet retained important aspects of my heritage. It is a very personal project from which I will gain more experience and use several creative techniques and complete further research.
My show will be a channel of communication, which will exhibit visions of my journey and also be a medium for cultural enlightenment. I aim to show how two cultures can co-exist and benefit each other. My goal is  that the viewer will gain a clearer understanding of my life helping them to ‘ walk in my shoes’ I intend to use vibrant colours , photos of friends  and objects of my life in India .In juxtaposition my project will show the subtle colours and difference of life in the  UK ,including friends who have influenced me and relevant objects .The concept is that the viewer will see in my work the diversities and similarities of two cultures  and how they enrich , broaden  and benefit our outlook and philosophy of  life. My adjustment and integration into life and education here encouraged me to think that we are better together than apart.
Nature, people, daily activities taking place around me stimulates my work. My inspiration also comes from tribal Art particularly folk paintings from India called Mithila paintings and Gond   paintings. A few artists whose work I admire, who also influence me are: Debbie Smyth who works with brass pins and threads; Grayson Perry whose work reflects his childhood experiences; Henry Moore’s batik and textile designs; Chein Wei Chang’s use of recycled glass jars; David Hockney’s large scale Art work; M.F Hussain’s vibrancy in his work; John Piper’s wax resist technique, Tony Cragg   and his use of mundane materials and Radcliffe Bailey’s blending of cultures. All these artists have been a source of inspiration and have influenced my Art work .My recent visit to New Walk Museum & Art Gallery proved to be motivational, mainly the exhibition called ‘Don't Look Back! I Told You So’ by Chien-Wei Chang. The artist has used recycled glass bottles and hand-crafted objects exploring cultural notions of the cellar, in relation to the artist's Taiwanese heritage. During the next day I came up with the idea of preserving my memories in jars and bottles, as pickles and jams are preserved so they can be used in a time of scarcity. Several exhibitions have influenced my work; The Millenium Gallery in Sheffield did so, as it was a collection of family life in Britain.  Future research at The Victoria and Albert Museum will give me idea for displaying ‘Walk In My Shoes’.
 Layering various significant things to collage like newspapers, envelopes, stamps, fabrics, foils, wallpaper and tissue papers creates interesting textures. I work on these uneven surfaces, blending acrylic paint, emulsion paint, water colour and oil pastels. I will be using wax resist technique which is commonly used by artists like Henry Moore and John Piper. The wax resist technique works on the fact that oil or wax and water do not mix .I draw with oil pastels then give washes of ink and water colour over it. Where the wax is, the water in the paint will repel and so the paint either runs off it or collects in little drops .Using different meaningful things from both cultures, such as newspapers and free running maps, I will hook-up different ideas from my two cultures. These maps illustrate my interesting travels. I intend to use a soldering iron to engrave designs, maps and sometimes for burning fabrics. My boarding school life played a crucial role in my life.  I will be bringing evocative glimpses, smells and sounds to my assemblage. My old school dresses, books, other relevant objects will be prominently displayed. Jars and bottles will hold my preserved mementoes. Having previously experimented with my trial piece, I have formulated ways to overcome any problems and also help me with my time management. My weekly schedule will help me to achieve my goal.
Working on a big scale is challenging. Difficulties include getting proportions right, exertion and paper bubbling up when it is damp .I overcame these difficulties by finding the right way to deal with them, by practising getting the proportions accurate. Every time I took a few steps back to see any errors during my trial piece, my fellow students helpfully gave their opinions. Accumulating relevant objects is giving me a problem as most are in India .Searching for and collecting my interestingly -shaped jars and bottles is time- consuming but I hope it will worthwhile.
I hope that from viewing my final show, the audience will understand my feelings towards these two different cultures and feel the vivid atmosphere of Walk In My Shoes This will hopefully allow them to experience and reflect on their own feelings and memories .I hope that the viewers will gain a deeper understanding of cultures living side by side .I am learning more from this creative project as it is my largest piece of work yet and it is my first exhibition. Above all I hope all the viewers go away feeling very happy.

My trial piece and experience of working on large scale .

I have been putting layers, of emulsion paint, news papers, wall papers, tissue papers, foil, to collage on thick paper of fabriano paper to give the piece more texture . I started my first figure and gradually moved on . after completing these figures i started building layers using fabrics and PVA then started engraving maps using soldering iron.I even used  multi coloured threads  to sew maps .my initial  trial piece was successful however there are many areas i could  improve .my first point to improve upon would be compositional planing ,making sure i could fit all of my figures in as well as making sure that backgrounds are just as visible .also learnt that i sould only use traslucent fabrics rather than opaque because it obscured the figures too much.

Trip to London visiting exhibitions like British design, Transformation: Gormley to Gaga.V& A Museum's Asian collection and science museum.

Main motive behind this visit was to gain some useful ideas for final show. It gave me ideas that how I could make use of space and how different things can be displayed.  It provided an insight into the designers’ creative process. the exhibition Transformation and Revelation: Gormley to Gaga  also  included  costumes, set models, photographs, drawings, sound productions and lighting designs. This particular exhibition was relevant and worth looking.the Indian textiles and old patterns and designs were also very beneficial . Indian textiles designs and use of bright colours in it gave me some ideas to carry on my Toran for final show  Toran is a decorative door hanging and sacred  gateway made with  beautiful embroidery on fabrics . 


 
Gujarat, India

Silk satin embroidered with silk thread and mirror work

Visit to New Walk Museum & Art Gallery

I show this particular digital print work at new walk museum & gallery produced by Chila Kumari Burman. She was born in 1957 and grew up in Liverpool as part of a Hindu-Punjabi family. She works with a wide range of media including print, photography, installation and etching and has participated in exhibitions and debates around issues of cultural identity, representation and gender.   

Visit to New Walk Museum & Art Gallery

While I was at the New Walk Museum &Art Gallery I came across the exhibition (don’t look back! I told you so) by British Taiwanese artist Chien-Wei Chang .Chien Wei Chang is an artist whose work is a meditation on crossing borders. He is a silversmith who works also with wood and other materials and who has travelled east to west from Taiwan to UK. His artworks convey aspects of his journey found this particular exhibition helpful because I am exploring into similar aspect of my journey from east (India) to west (UK.)  My idea of bringing to contrasting cultures together by using some elements of two diverse cultures collided with this exhibition.