Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Illustration Friday - Launch






The illustration talks about a woman who takes flight in her city of dreams. My inspiration is the song "Empire state of mind" by Alicia Keys...and my favorite lines are.....

I’m going to make it by any means
I got a pocketful of dreams
Baby, I’m from

Chorus
New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There’s nothing you can’t do
Now you’re in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Hear it for New York, New York, New York

Thursday, June 16, 2011

"Cinema Ghar"



As i read this blog on M F Hussain, on http://sensitivecreations.blogspot.com/2011/06/tribute-to-mr-m-f-hussain.html i could not resist myself but write about his "Cinema Ghar" , an unconventional museum cum residence of M F Hussain located in the posh Banjara Hills in Hyderabad. I as a student got the opportunity to visit this creative den .

The building of "Cinema Ghar" is quite magical in itself with M F Husain's trade mark sketches cut out on the building. Its not like an ordinary museum , with dead facts instead it has live paintings on the walls and the moving images of song and dance on celluloid. There is a big library dedicated to arts and films and a 40 seater cinema theater for preview . There is a special section too devoted to making films without sound and colour, like in the early history of indian cinema . Overall i would say Cinema Ghar was his way to celebrate life on canvas and silver screen. After visiting this place my respect for him was beyond words.

During our visit i also saw some special things Hussain has done beyond paintings, his furniture. He designed some unique furniture made out of wooden logs . They were unfinished and unpolished but very modern . The hangers in his wardrobe which no one has even written about....were as creative as his paintings.

Even though i never took any pics when i visited Cinema Ghar as a student...i still have its image in my mind....his life size paintings of Gaja Gamini, horses, Ganesh and many more....while we were leaving the "Cinema Ghar"...we were told we could leave a note for Mr. M F Hussain in the visitor's diary. We all took our own time writing praises about the painter , one of our classmates even drew his caricature .....But whatever we could have written or people can ever write about him ,he was undoubtedly the" Picasso of India" and has influenced the whole generation of artist in our country. May his soul rest in peace.




Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Illustration Friday - Swept


No matter how many times and how many people walk through that sand leaving their footprints behind.......the water will sweep them away

Best gift ever...on a mother's day



I am almost a month late to write this ...but as it is said "better late then never", so here i am writing about "the best gift ever", this is how my daughter describes most of her best moments now a days ;).
There was an Art competition organised by the Newport mommies on the mother's day celebration here in Newport . There were four different age groups ,four different topics and almost 70 -75 kids participated . The topics were- My Mommy, Landscape, Spring and Animal. Poorva choose to make on "My mommy" and to my delight she won the third prize in the 3-4 y age group.



The winners were announced on the mother's day itself and that was THE BEST GIFT EVER:).
All the winner's drawings were displayed on the wall of Duane Reade. What more could i have, asked for.....:)















Tuesday, June 7, 2011

More than just a t-shirt


Here is one more t-shirt which i would like to share . Its more than just a t-shirt b'cos it was made for a cause. "Manavi"- a South Asian Women's Organization, organised this event at Town square, Newport to create awareness among women about their right , the fundamental right to live a life of dignity that is safe and free from violence.


Many women participated and supported the cause by writing and painting the t-shirts. I also did one.....and my explaination goes like this-------
The t-shirt has two perceptive- first you look at it as a new face of today's woman. A woman with a moustache. Don't take me otherwise as i am not asking women to actual grow one .....but on a serious note , moustache which the man in our society believes as a symbol of authority , command and dominance is the only thing missing in the vulnerable woman. Once she has that right ,she is no less than today's man. In our society (especially the south asian ), its the man who has the right / power / authority to take the final decision . If our woman is given that power ....she is sure to change the world.

Second perspective is the liberated woman with her arms raced up in the sky ...a sense of freedom . Freedom to live a life of dignity that is safe and free from violence.

In the end the small symbol on the right hand side corner is the imprint of the two fingers and a thumb print in the center in red representing the liberated women...

Hope all this effort from "Manavi" and all the participants , helps to create awareness among people.