Art Nouveau (and Filter Coffee!) with Smruthi Gargi Eswar!

Aalayam signifies “a place of residence”, a confluence of ideas and inspiration. And you know that, at Aalayam, we house our musings in the vibrant world of multicultural design, culture, gastronomy and art. We have had abundant opportunities over the years to celebrate the visual and cerebral appeal of Indian culture. We have brought to you inspiring artists who revel in retelling mythos, folklore, history and culinary art in their own individualized ways…leaving their indelible impressions in this impersonal, mercantile, fickle universe. And how enriched have we been with those people. And how thankful are we that they have shared their stories with us!

I am proud to bring to you one more such artist. Smruthi Gargi Eswar.

Smurthi Gargi Eswar is the featured artist on Aalayam. Picture courtesy Ninfa Bito - Manila

Smruthi is a graphic artist, designer and modern art aficionado who is interpreting Indian mythology through her bold retelling via her series "Sister Misfortune". (Follow Smruthi and her work on https://www.facebook.com/SmruthiGargiEswar). Or check out her website smruthigargieswar.com.

I was introduced to Smruthi’s work when I chanced upon one of her graphic art pieces in a very good friend’s home. (Check this link out, I also introduced you guys to it!) I was floored by Smruthi’s bold strokes, use of color, and the visceral story telling embedded deep in the art – the limited edition artwork seemed to captivate, and draw all eyes from its pride of place in the home owner’s abode. I was fortunate enough to get introduced to Smruthi following that intimate experience with her work,  fascinated as I was with her masterful art retelling of modern mythos. And boy was I impressed.

Smruthi's art "APARNA" in Velu Shankar home in Conoor, India

Smruthi’s art adorns home, office spaces, book covers, posters and walls of school buildings! This verdant feature speaks to the versatility and seamless translation that Smruthi infuses into her work.  And it’s not surprising, how organically the art lends itself, as an expression of individuality, as a remarkable statement, in whatever she touches. Smruthi’s design and collaborative space StudioSMU is the wellspring of her ideas and her forever messaging!

Smurthi's studio and creative space

 Smruthi is, I found, down to earth, vivacious and super chill (but with sublime attention to perfection, like all artists!!), even as she is expression shades of fierce feminism. All major pluses for me, an observer of artist personalities and human nature. So I will stop gushing and admiring, and let you meet Smruthi youself! And get inside her gorgeous head.

Here goes!

Shilo Shiv Suleman collaboration Power to Women

Supriya (Su): Smruthi, I personally love mythology. Its visceral, and deep. And you seem to have captured the quintessence of Mythology perfectly in your brand! We want to pick your brain to know more about it! First of all, what got you started?? And why Mythology?

Smruthi (Sm): My interest in Mythology is a rather personal. I feel like the Hindu identity has become a very narrow one. We seem to have forgotten about the diversity even within Hinduism. This series was a way for me to reclaim mythology and study older versions (matriarchal versions) of these stories. Especially in a country where people seem to fall back on what is traditional or cultural to explain their own actions, I think it’s a good idea to understand, that what we think of as timeless stories, are in fact changed versions of earlier tellings. And these earlier tellings, most often than not, stand for very different ideologies. I am interested in these early tellings that tend to be less patriarchal and far more diverse.   

APARNA from the Sister Misfortune Series

Su: Where do you derive your daily inspiration from? What gets you started designing and handcrafting a piece of art?

Sm: It’s hard to put my inspiration to one or two things. It could be sketching a bit, listening to music or reading. Once it comes to my graphic design work at StudioSMU there is more of process. Breaking the brief down, and then letting your mind wander but still very consciously to keep putting these ideas down in visual form. Sketching these ideas and fine tuning them is usually the perfect environment for the better ideas and the final design to surface. 

But with Graphic Art projects I do nothing at all. The idea or the need to discuss something appears quite naturally and the execution as well is more fluid and does not really have process that I apply. But I can see rather clearly the my design practice is a strong influence in how I go about creating my more "artistic" work. 

Wall graphics for a TV Show on NDTV, designed by Smruthi

Su: How do you give a modern slant to traditional representations of Hindu Gods? We see your art adorning classical abodes, and rocking in a modern space as well! So tell us more!

Sm: What interests me is a culture that is living and breathing. A space where we can interact with ideas from the past and be able readdress them from our own points of reference and interest. With Sister Misfortune I am looking at the matriarchal gods from a matriarchal time, in which the woman also known as Prakrithi (nature in Sanskrit) were revered. The adaptation of the Art Nouveau style is a direct outcome of this. 

The focus on natural forms and the placing of nature over all other things. The goddesses themselves seem more like us. I wanted this role reversal as a contrast to the constant obsession for women to be more "goddess like". Woman are layered, complex and flawed. And that is how I see the goddesses too. Also in Indian mythology as with Greek mythology we can see these layers to these gods. All I am doing is letting these complexities surface in  new visual context.

Old city cave graphic series - quirky, eclectic and emphatic

Su: Can you talk to us a little bit about your design work? Do you hold the creative reins of the design, or do you let your customers decide what they would like?

Sm: With Graphic Design work there is a lot of interaction with the Client. At this point most of them come to me because they have seen my work and would like to work with me. I get many different types of clients. Some who have a clear idea about what they want, some who might need a little help getting there while some don't want the hassle of it at all and are quite willing that I take it all on. Most clients I have worked with continue to work with me over numerous projects over time and I personally find a lot of happiness in that. 

Sandbox Collective and The Humming Tree poster

Su: What are your general interests and do you mind sharing how you spend your down time?

Sm: The usual - listening to music, dancing (nothing academic), watching films, or obsessing over a series, enjoying food while avoiding cooking (which i mean to change), day dreaming and analyzing the nighttime ones... things like that.  

DioramaDesign Studio project with Thara Thomas and Nidhi Miriam Jacob Cariappa

Su: Talk to us about Sister Misfortune. What do you aspire to achieve with the series? How, in your opinion, does your art contribute to the preserving of culture? 

Sm: Personally, Sister Misfortune created a space in which I can address stuff I want to. I am hoping that it also creates a platform where we can talk about gender, religion, culture and the existence  of multiplicity in all of them. It’s not so much about preserving culture but about interacting with it. The culture by default is preserved, and kept alive through different ways people find to interact with it.  

SITA at Pimento and Studio Five Architects

Su: Has your creative entrepreneurship changed your everyday perspective - at home, at work and at play?

Sm: I don’t see my artistic work or my work as designer as separate from the rest of me. It’s not really like they influence each other because they co-exist. It’s more like they are a single unit that find different ways of expression. Having said that, yes they have influenced how I look at the world and my life. Definitely helps bring a sense of meaning into things and helps avoid an existential crisis :) 

Getting artsy at Vartur

Su: Smruthi. please talk to us about your collaborations. With Designers, Fashion Houses, Schools and other brands.

Sm: As an artist I have had a chance to collaborate with artists from many different specters. Shilo Shiv Suleman the visual artist, Avril Stormy Unger a movement and performance artist, the well known Ritu Kumar Label the fashion house. 

Avril Stormy Unger Fearless - with APARNA in the background

StudioSMU my design space, on the other hand has worked together with Nidhi Mariam Jacob Cariappa (Diorama Design), Oroon Das, Fish Eye (In Delhi) amongst others. 

Amrish Kumar, Smruthi Gargi Eswar and Ritu Kumar (L-R), Label Ritu Kumar 

These collaborations work at different levels. With Ritu Kumar Label -  I was commissioned to create 4 pieces for them, which were then used on their clothing. The miniseries is called Seasoned and is an of shoot of Sister Misfortune. Ritu Kumar Label went on to launching the series in Delhi. 

StudioSMU's collaborations with Diorama Design are more diverse. We came together on a wall painting project that was done for a government school in Vartur Bangalore and now are working together through a new set of products from SmuSHOP. SmuSHOP will shorty be releasing these products online.  

Diorama Design Studio Collaboration - its time to get real!! And make an impact.

Smruthi, that was refreshing. Like drinking a cup of hot filter coffee. And EVERYONE knows how much I love that!

Smruthi Gargi Eswar smiles for the camera as she contemplates what lies ahead in 2015. Picture courtesy Kashyap

Thank you, you have reawakened my mojo for 2015. Keep doing what you are doing - go higher, do bigger, and inspire better!! We loved having you over at Aalayam and hope you enjoyed working with us too!!! 

Aalayam is privileged to have collaborated with you.

Good luck on all your future endeavors. We stay excited to see what you come up with next.

Love,

Supriya

Celebrate Ganesha Chaturthi with DIY Ganeshas

Nostalgia abounds! Ganesh Chaturthi is around the corner.  Exquisitely crafted Ganeshas, displayed with pomp, in the street pandals are now a thing of the past. I miss the boisterous gaiety and communal celebrations that erupt all over India, this time of the year. Ganesha Chaturthi is as much about celebrating the elephant-headed God as it is about cultural pagentry rooted in artistic traditons. And today, I want to present to you a dear friend’s artistry – DIY Ganeshas.

Aalayam readers – here is another attempt to inspire you to live your best life! Meet Sowmya Balasubramani  - an inspiration in her own right!

 Her larger-than-life spirit and enthusiasm makes her a vanguard of a new age of Indian women – an everyday inspiration! I don’t know anyone else who celebrates Indian festivals with as much ardor as does Sowmya – decorating, cooking, sharing her observance with friends and family – the whole nine yards! It is not easy, time and effort constraints always get in the way! Sowmya does it – every single time! Possibly dipping in to her wellspring for energy or perhaps looking past the constraints through a different grid and for this I doff my hat! The pictures in the post are rife with Sowmya's zest for cultural jubilation!

I want to kick start this festive season with an introduction to Sowmya, her maxim for celebrating Hindu festivals and her awe-inspiring DIY Ganeshas. Buckle up, as I take you on another visually inspiring cultural voyage!

1) Tell me a little bit about yourself

I am a happy go-lucky gal that loves to live life king size.  An architect by profession, I am now enjoying being a full time mom to my super busy 2 year old. While dance and music feed my soul, crafting lifts my spirits. Running is my latest passion and after 3 half marathons, I have realized that it’s the adrenaline rush that keeps me motivated. I enjoy camping, theater, good books, good food but most of all the company of my awesome family and friends!

2) You celebrate every festival with so much buoyancy - how come?

I think its is something that we started in our own home post-marriage. My parents always celebrated festivals but I guess I was too busy being a teenager to bother! Once I came here to the US, I felt a strong desire  to connect with my roots. Celebrating festivals allowed for that and gave me a medium to satiate my creative thirst. Also, it became a great way showcase our rich Indian culture to people from other parts of the world. Oh and of course hanging out with  friends and celebrating togetherness was a bonus!

3) What does celebrating a festival mean to you?

Anyone who knows me will tell you I am a cleanliness “freak “. So, the house cleaning part is the inherent plus ;). I think I like it most for the joyous gatherings, dancing, singing and of course the good food. On a more serious note, I have learnt things about my religion that I never knew before.  I wouldn’t call myself a very religious person, yet I am proud of my religion and like the idea of being able to explain Hinduism to people who are interested to know about it. Many a time, I have actually done some homework to be able to answer questions that I wasn't sure of. The learning process has been enriching!  I have received several dolls from different parts of the world to add to my golu from loving friends. It has been the most humbling part of this experience!

Sowmya enlists friend and family to help out with the festivities!

4) You are a parent - talk to me about the challenges of raising a kid in a multicultural background - what is your own mantra? Everybody has one!

Honestly ,I don’t know the answer to this one. I just do the best I can to teach my child everything I know about my religion and culture.  However, I make a conscious effort to introduce him to other cultures and religions as well. I have grown up with utmost respect for all religions and cultures and hope to pass that on to my son. 

Sowmya worked on a play-doh Ganesha with her adorbale little boy Darsh this year and here is what she wrote,  "This year I decided to include my two year old in the Ganesha-making process. We made a very simple Ganesha with playdoh. I talked about the different colors, shapes and parts of the body. He was co operative and participated for a bit and I ended up making most of it. However, the curiosity and the excitement on his face when he saw the finished product was very sweet. He wanted to hold it in his hands and even handled it with care and even declared that it was his Ganesha...so worth the effort!

Try this with ( or without) your little one. This Ganesha may be small in size and minimal in detail but will surely bring big time cheer to your festival."

Talking about her parenting mantra, she adds, " Something I read recently has stuck in my brain- before you lose sleep over trying to raise a good child, remember that you were blessed with a good child to begin with”.

5) Time is always a limiting factor - what are your must-do's for a festival? You seem to do it all !

It helps when your friends (and spouse of course) are as enthusiastic about the whole thing as you are. Whether it is making the Ganesha, setting up for Golu or celebrating Diwali, my friends always help. We try and do different festivals at different homes.  Everyone gets a chance at hosting. I guess that is ultimately what a festival is about- sharing and caring. It is also a time for indulging so I use it as an excuse to make sweets and savories. Of course, it does require some planning. I try and spread things over a week or so before the festival; it helps me get in the spirit and is less overwhelming.

6) Where do you draw your inspirations for décor from? Not many resources on the www are dedicated to Indian festival decorating - any sites you would like to refer Aalayam readers to?

I don’t really refer to a particular website to decorate for my festivals. Usually, I try and go with a certain color or find one striking decorative piece and try and plan things around it. I like big, bold and lots of color!

7) Your home made Ganeshas are phenomenal and rightly capture the essence of the festival of Shraddha and Bhakti- How did you start making your own Ganeshas  and where does the inspiration for these come from?

 I had been celebrating Ganesha Chathurthi before this and was buying a Ganesha every year;  the idea to make it was actually my friend Thrushna’s.

Sowmya and Trushna - an indomitable team when it comes to making Ganeshas

 I still vividly recall the first year we made it. Clay that cracked and wouldn’t dry, a Ganesha that kept leaning forward a little ( yeah, Pisa inspired) and dozens of toothpicks. With every passing year we improvised. We meet a couple of weeks before the festival , put our heads together, pick a theme and make a Ganesha

Inspiration…. hmm. The first couple of years our aim was to make an idol that would stand and look proportionate. 2 years ago we decided to make the ABC Ganesha as a tribute to the English language. The following year was the Texan Ganesha as a tribute to the state that is our home now. Our spouses, Kishore and Manju have been great at adding their details and touches to the Ganesha. Their ideas have been awesome of course but it is the entertainment in the form of their silly antics and jokes that are priceless.

Giving the elephant headed God life!

8) Lastly, a word of advice for young working moms on how to go about handling Hindu festivals, perhaps?

Firstly, don’t bite off more than you can chew. You don’t have to do it all if you don’t have the time. Do as much as you can and build on it when possible. Hand make a few things and buy a few. It will give you the satisfaction of having done something on your own without losing your sleep over it. Try and build a circle that you can do things together with -makes it easier and more enjoyable. Think of this as a fun way to teach your kids and neighbors a bit about your culture and the amazing land you come from!

Lastly, never forget to dance, sing, laugh and eat your heart out!

Wise words indeed! Thank you Sowmya - for sharing your precious Ganeshas and your interminable fervor with us! I hope your vitality inspires all of us! Isn't the play doh Ganesha replete with modakam and mooshikam simply darling? Hope Sowmya’s sui generis Ganeshas engender many creative ideas for your own festivities this season.

 Stay with us for more ideas and more inspirations - Dussehra, Diwali... we are only getting started!

Cheers!

~Deepa

The Legion of Indian Superheros!

Hello dear Aalayam family!

The Aalayam authors want to extend a warm welcome to all our new members! Welcome to the fold! Remember to spread the word, if you will, about the Grand Aalayam Giveaway! The contest is still open!!

Today's topic is about Indian superheros - Hindu mythology's contribution to legendary characters with superhuman abilities and/or magical powers, wearing distinctively cool costumes, having magnificent personalities, and placed on the earth to primarily fight against evil forces.

I am going to keep the tone of this post deliberately cheeky, non religious and non pedantic. These are my views alone and DO NOT represent the teachings or representations of Hindu religion. So, with that out of the way, here goes! I have used the images from Sanjay Patel's whimsical book on Hindu Deities in this post, purely because I think the pictures are so cute and represent these "larger than life" heroes with  so much sauce!  

Growing up, my grandmother used to fascinate me with stories about these superheroes - Ganesha, Shiva, Vishnu, Rama, Krishna and all the cool avatars these dudes used to manifest themselves into. The ladies got a mention too occasionally - Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswathi and Sita - well, what can I say, gender discrimination was not so outrageous back then! 

Just like fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm, my grandmother's tales used to mesmerize me with the contrast between the good guys (the legion I continue to talk about through this post!) and the bad guys! (they don't get a mention, although if I must, Duryodhana is my favorite - talk about loyalty!)

(note the reproductive symbolism via the Lingam, that depicts power!)

Animals are an integral part of the support system to these superheroes. Whether as means of transportation, avatars to address world emergencies or trusted confidantes. This glorification of animals (and ergo - vegetarianism, for the most part) stems from the belief that God (Universal good for the atheists) resides in all living creatures. Krishna and the docile cow, Vishnu and Shiva's king cobra, Kartikeya's glorious peacock, Rama and the loyal monkey or Durga's valiant tiger, all creatures great or small, have their place in this legion  of superheroes! (all these superheros get a one page dedication in Patel's book, please do read!)

Female empowerment is synonymous in our mythology with benevolence, harmony, fertility (yes, yes..hold on to your skirts!) power and balance! 

Whether it is Mahadevi, who appears as bloodthirsty, evil relinquishing warriors like Durga or Kali...or as Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, prosperity and happiness.. or as Saraswathi, the epitome of knowledge and the arts, all these accomplished ladies reign supreme in establishing a strong foundation of good and proper, and if necessary, powerful and unrelenting, to people who depend on them! A boilerplate for the modern day woman right?

Now, on to the wives and mommies. What is a great superhero, without a supportive partner he can rely on to keep the home-fires burning huh? Parvati, aka Uma, Gauri and Shakti is symbolic of unflappable commitment to her husband, Shiva, and her unwavering devotion to her children Ganesha (the elephant headed dude) and Kartikeya (of the peacock fame). 

And of course, who can forget Sita, the quintessential honorable wife, who was banished because her chastity was questioned, although empires were destroyed to protect it! In Patel's words, Sita's martyrdom to her duty, as a steadfast and faithful wife has left a profound legacy. 

Now for the modern day parenting conundrum! I am sure all of you face this with your kids as well. How do I expose my kids to the spiritual and austere aspects on these superheros, Gods, deities  however you want to think of them, in a western society, without stepping too deep into the religious manifestations and interpretations? How do I make the core message - "triumph of good over evil", and make that relevant to the everyday challenges my kids face at work, at play and at life's sandbox!?

We sure have some awesome examples. Our legion of superheros and heroines, have set the stage of model behavior (some behaviors are suspect as well, trust me, diabolical politicking, disloyal abandonment,  manipulation for world good etc..) hey, but that's where individual and parental judgement come in! Isn't that right?

I leave you with a cool image of Nataraja, the dancing king, who vanquished evil with  some seriously cool dance moves! Nataraja's cosmic dance symbolizes the balance between creation, preservation and destruction, in a way, urging us, everyday heroes to hold our responsibilities, actions and reactions in stylish equilibrium! 

Love,

Supriya

Disclaimer: All images are reproduced and reimagined from the Little Book of Hindu Deities and copyrighted to the author Sanjay Patel. This is a blog post inspired by the illustrations in the delightful book and is to be considered as the Aalayam author's opinion on Indian mythology . No part of this article represents the views of Sanjay Patel or of the Hindu religion.