Arishadvargas
Installation Total area: 60 cms length, 40 cms width and 1 cm depth.
Each Hexagon Tile is: 12 cms length, 10.5 cms width, 1 cm depth. Lotus
Tile is: 15 cms length, 14cms width, 1 cms depth
Medium: Clay – Terracotta
This project was where I worked on the medium I am fluent with – clay. My sister and I initially had a couple of conversations and explored the gamut of ’emotions’ what it meant for each of us and arrived at the concept of Arishadvargas or Shadripu and how its crucial for us to overcome these and open ourselves to the higher consciousness, as this is the purpose of human life.
We then made rough sketches of how we will represent the Arishadvargas, once this was agreed upon, we also decided that we will make a clay installation of the representation, I felt it was only apt to work on Terracotta clay as its earthy, basic yet vibrant and holds mineral value. I rolled slabs from Terracotta and cut hexagonal tiles and I would carve the relevant patterns that my sister would design depicting the arishadvargas, using carving technique. Once the patterns were carved, we would carefully dry the tiles and fire them. Since the clay is terracotta, we did not want to colour the patterns, but leave them to look monochrome or relief-like. We chose hexagonal shape as it has six sides, which was symbolic of the arishadvarghas within.
Great concept and design execution. The artist had left the mystery to audience to match terracota pattern and corresponding emotions.
Intricate and simple at the same time. Well done!