Tanvi Kant
week seven
Posted by Tanvi Kant on 21st March 2008
meeting
Discussed what the whole experience on the residency has been for us this morning, and the potential impact on our practice. Found it really good to get some feedback too. Up on the front terrace, it was the most picturesque meeting I've had, flowers and butterflies, plus some curious faces on the balconies of the neighbouring houses.
Train Tickets
I have decided to go to Jaipur, I have a friend visiting a friend of hers who works in fashion. I would like to show my work and just gain some feedback really, plus I really love jaipur, even though it is really busy and in the markets they are really pushy.
Dinner
We had a dinner up on the top floor, drinks were coconuts sliced in front of us by a young man specially brought in for that job and water served in tall patterned terracotta glasses. we had the natural plates and bowls again which I love. There was discussion about partnerships between Ahmedabad and Manchester. There are the obvious textile manufacturing histories which they were world famous for, plus the fact that both are now fast growing urbanised cities and undergoing huge regeneration. They also both are culturally and architecturally interesting, both for the old and the new. There was an interesting gathering of figures who work within the arts, crafts and design sectors.
NID
Met an up and coming fashion designer. When showing my work at Sumrasar, it was suggested that I get in touch with him. It was really good to discuss each others work. I found there were parallels in the way he approaches clothing and I jewellery. Such as not having a front or back of a piece, the wearer being able to wear a piece how they wish, material value and simplicity in construction.
Italian
Had a good meal overall, the starter was dripping with what I think was olive oil just the way some gujarati's cook with ghee or oil.
Holi
The children in the Pol were playing with mostly water, but I saw several pink and red faces. We have an invitation for dinner at the home of the owner of one of the nice hotels in the city. What a lovely and delightful evening it was. There are discussions about all our work and future projects as well as lovely and mildly spiced food! I don't get on with chillies, which as been a highlight of this trip everywhere I go,most of their crisps have chill. We ended with a fire and trying to recall what we should be doing - offerings to be made to the fire, etc.
Dhuleti
On the way back from the market, we got off the rickshaw a little early and turned into a street I have been through a few times before. The streets on the right are entrances of other Pols, some lead to ours....so we go through and on the way see people covered in colour, mostly men and children. We get more and more covered in colour, unfortunately the toxic powders were being used. So we didn't go out again for the proper time to play with the colours.
We did enjoy watching from the terrace though, the families below were washing outside, under the taps were buckets which just looked liked coloured water anyway. They were being covered with powder while they were washing so this whole process took a couple of hours! handfuls of powder were thrown, pasted on faces or scrubbed on to hair, buckets of water were thrown at each other and water pistols spraying water. The colours look particularly beautiful when they are thrown into the air.
Sunday
Relaxing day, mostly because I'm catching up on sleep and in preparation for the 13 hr train ride tomorrow. Its also really hot to do anything, i may venture out after six, though its seven already and I am already sleepy.
I have been looking through books I have bought (far too many, but also never enough). I feel more clear in the direction of my work and also where I have been with my work. Connections and significant encounters have been made and things feel much clearer to me. I feel more sure of where I want to go, but I also feel I may need a longer and a more intense time to realise this. I will like to continue to develop relationships formed in India in the future, I have more to gain directly from my experiences here. I also feel a greater affinity with the place, people and culture. Although, I do feel I would not live here as many have asked me. My home is in Britain, the people, family, friends and the cities I feel a closer connection than to than I would anywhere in the world....for the time being
