Gandhian philosophy through block printing

Salt is the only rock we eat. Salt is the only rock we cannot live without”. These words echo in The Art Gallery, Kamladevi Complex at India International Centre where Shelly Jyoti’s exhibition reminds visitors of the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi. “My swadharma is towards Ajrakh and sarvodaya becomes my pole star in my journey,” says the artist showing a video art to Metrolife.

This particular artwork is the genesis of the solo exhibition ‘Salt: The Great March II’. “I could relate to Gandhiji and his idea of spinning wheel. His philosophy is relevant even today. I too believe that if our 40 crore urban population buys just five metres of khadi in a year then so many charkhas would start spinning in the villages and consequently the gap between the urban and rural areas would be reduced,” says Jyoti explaining the concept behind her work which is the second part of her ‘Salt’ series.

Having decided to work towards raising awareness about khadi and ajrakh, the big challenge before Jyoti was how to present her thoughts. The alumnus of National Institute of Fashion Technology hence combined her “love
for Ajrakh fabric” with her aesthetics and created paintings and installations out
of textiles.

One is sure to get attracted to the centrepiece in the gallery titled ‘Integrating Khadi’ which is a 30 metre high artwork shaped like sails. With block printing in Sanskrit calligraphy, these sails are symbolic of a ‘surging’.

To the artist, the installation is a “21st century visualisation of the moment when Mahatma Gandhi stood at the seashore, along with hundreds of satyagrahis, and concluded his Dandi March by making salt.”

The element of charkha or the spinning wheel is recurrent in her works. From paintings to site-specific installations, one can spot the circular design almost everywhere. Each piece has a detailed description of the concept behind its creation which makes it self-explanatory. The most interesting among these descriptions is the one which enlists the entire process of how Ajrakh is made and dyed to create different patterns.

Jyoti informs that the word Ajrakh comes from “Persian language and means ‘blue’”. She thus creates different patterns of Ajrakh (which dates back to 16th century CE) on a small scale and rolls them to be placed together for documentation. However, the artist believes that “Artworks get documented, functional fabrics don’t” and thus limits her display of the latter.

The exhibit ‘Allow Me To Grow Without Fear’ which includes a girl child’s frock, makes one yearn to see more apparels. At an arm’s length is a small section which has everything crafted in this rich and laborious art. From a saree thrown on a mannequin to angrakhas and jackets, there is quite a variety to prove the versatility of Ajrakh, especially on cotton and khadi.

In addition, Jyoti has even displayed the particular blocks used for Ajrakh. These become relevant for a visitor who has least knowledge about how demanding the process it. Showing her creation ‘Timeless Silhouettes’ which has a series of blouses, the artist divulges that while working for Ajrakh, a designer’s “mind is in constant turmoil because what you see you don’t get. And after the fabric is washed and you see the final product, it is completely different from what one expects. Therefore, I use needlework to enhance the final design and bring it closer to my
imagination.”    

What one cannot help noticing is the wooden buttons with brass in centre that are stitched to the seven blouses. These add another layer of documentation to the works of this visual artist who is passionate about revival of the craft of Ajrakh.   
The exhibition is on display till September 15.