ROOTS
The village of Raghurajpur near Puri, in Odisha is the perfect example of the blending of modern and traditional values and artwork. Named a 'Digital Village', it consists of houses of local craftsmen and artists who openly invite you into their homes to see them work and look at their collection of work.
From the minute I walked into the village, I was fascinated by the number of brightly coloured and painted houses, old doorways and overgrown, tiny, abandoned areas within the village. Through my project, I contrast and juxtapose some modern and traditional concepts and ideas to produce a blend of the two.
I did a photoshoot with a classmate, Tanuka, while we were at the village. I chose for her to wear modern clothes in contrast with the backgrounds provided by the village. While editing, I digitally painted on different versions of the "Tree of Life" on the model’s hand. I saw multiple types of the 'Tree of Life' while I was at the village, as it’s part of the traditional Patachitra work done there. I found these patterns very interesting as they differed from most of the style of the other Patachitra work, but it is still considered a part of the Patachitra work.
The Tree of Life symbolises prosperity and showcases the relationship of the people in the village with nature. Another unique thing about the village is the Gotipua dance that is performed there. The dancers paint their faces with intricate patterns, and I wanted to combine and depict the aspect of body art and the Tree of Life.
