Textile artist Shelly Jyoti delves into the Gandhian concept of Swaraj in a solo exhibition titled Bound by Duty: An Idea of Swaraj and Collectiveness @ India International Centre, New Delhi, Sep 14 to Sep 27, 2019
The show moves to Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, Nov 27 to Dec 4, 2019
New Delhi: Mahatma Gandhi’s timeless ideologies have been at the core of Delhi-based visual artist Shelly Jyoti’s art practice for more than a decade now. Using khadi as her canvas, Ajrakh printing and dyeing as her palette and intricate needlework her brush strokes, Jyoti continues her exploration of Bapu’s concept of Swaraj in a solo show titled Bound by Duty: An Idea of Swaraj and Collectiveness that will be shown at the Kamala Chattopadhya Hall, India International Centre, New Delhi, from September 14 to September 27, 2019, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The show will then move to Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai from November 27 to December 4, 2019.
Using the motif of fish, both as individual entity and as a collective force, Jyoti explores the biggest challenge that faces mankind today – the disconnect between economic development and ecological well-being. “Ecology is understood both as man’s outer and inner environment. Economic progress of the kind being pursued in India and elsewhere in the world has become an end in itself. It is divorced from ethics, and righteousness. It stands in conflict with man’s responsibility towards ecology, nature, his own community and other communities of the world.”
Jyoti, hence, uses the imagery of micro-organisms in water, such as trillions of tiny fishes collaborating together, displacing water to create oceanic currents, waves and turbulence in an undersea environment. She examines the idea of ‘collectiveness’ and ‘collective impact’ that can bring about social change with evolved and spiritually self-aware communities.
The exhibition includes two site specific installations, 30 new Ajrakh artworks on khadi, multimedia spoken word poetry and a short film on making of Swaraj and collectiveness.
