Uphaar उपहार: Objects of love 🇮🇳 🇱🇰 🇲🇺 🇫🇯 🇸🇬 🇦🇺
Vipoo Srivilasa, Rainbow Warriors, 2019, bronze, porcelain and mixed media
Editorial
Quarterly Essay
Love objects
- Anbin nimiththam: For the sake of love by Manasee Jog
- Sundar Sari: A reverie of past loves by Pooja Kaul
- With the blessing of Gods and families: A Mauritian Tamil wedding by Veemanda Curpen
- How Jewish embroidery is sustained by an Indian Muslim by Bony Thomas
- Love in a time of colonisation by Shirley Bhatnagar
- Never on Tuesdays: How the Padma Saliyar weave auspiciousness into wedding saris by Aarti Kawlra
Indian stories
- A gift of song: The melody of making Kediyun by LOkesh Ghai
- Papani burning idol by Daniel Connell
- Primal Casting: From the outdoor studio by Sarra Tzijan
- Saga Dawa: The blessing of the scriptures by Shruti Agrawal
- Prachanda Shakya: A champion for Nepalese craft traditions by Kriti Bhuju
- Safed: The beauty of simplicity by Sayali Goyal
- The rules of the game: Weaving Durries in Rajasthan by Kaamya Sharma
- The angels of Dhadhampatti by Julia Raath
- Responsible crafts tourism in Kutch by Ruth Clifford
Spread the love
- To catch a flower: Love triumphs in the marriage of Sang Thong by Vipoo Srivilasa and Ted Colless
- A kirpan for bride power by Eina Ahluwalia
- Pistachio dog: Indian clothes tailored for the world by Lela Kulkarni
- Embroideries with love from Mauritius by Palmesh Cuttaree
- The nine-yard sari: Bolts of love in clay by Varuni Kanagasundaram
- Vessels of love: Darug weaving that connects generations, community and country by Jules Christian
- From Brunswick to Ahmedabad: The Hand/Eye Project by Alasdair Mackinnon, Eddy Carroll
- Mata & Grifo: Portals into a Sicilian love story by Antonio Aricò
Far horizons
- Curiosity and Rituals of the Everyday: The coming Indian ocean triennial by Maggie Baxter
- The Shadow Theatre of Anaphoria Island by Gary Warner
- Many stitches in time: the work of Annabelle Collette by Stephanie Radok
Love across the Indian Ocean – 1 April 2020
Some of the contributors from our current issue came together to reflect on their stories and consider some of the issues that they evoke, particularly about the Indian craft of love. The speakers were:
-
- Shirley Bhatnagar and Ishan Khosla
- Eina Ahluwalia
- Aarti Kawlra
- Manasee Jog
- Mitraja Bais
- Varuni Kanagasundaram
This fascinating discussion brought together voices from Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata and “Mumbai of the South” (Melbourne). The consensus seemed to be that Indian culture was more diverse before colonisation. During the British Empire and subsequent modernity, the distinctions between caste and gender became more rigid. Today, artists and makers have the potential to use the rich traditions of love as tools to open spaces for bringing people together. You can catch up on our conversation here (or podcast):
