'Not So Elegant' collection by Designing Life

Ideas are all around us, and so is art. Indian Kitsch Art is an art

form which always fascinated me. They are filled with vivid

representations of popular cultural themes. From simple hand-print

on a village wall, to giant cut outs of film posters is kitsch.

It is an opportunity for expression and communication.

I believe, art in form is expression. With the wish to create

simple designs from uncomplicated ideas, I chose

this wonderful art of expression to express my love

for Kitsch and named it ‘not so elegant’.

I wish my whole idea of Indian Kitsch Art should be affordable

and should have the ‘within reach’ factor throughout the masses.

coordinates, casual hand-bags

Indian Matchbox Labels

Radiant pink lotus….

Red hot chillies…jungle king lion and tiger….

Giant elephants….beautiful gods….

‘sundari’ the indian beauties…the warriors….

From key to aircrafts…

Bright..bold…dramatic….such are the matchbox labels from India.

From ‘ek aana’ to ‘chavanni’ to ‘athanni’ to ‘ek rupiya’ now…so cheap! Still bring so much in a small wooden/paper boxes

Curious and visually stunning, matchbox labels come in a wide variety of designs. Cheap and disposable, they litter the highways and footpaths, often to be found scattered around any roadside chai-stall. Remember these little boxes? We have come across these little boxes while growing up. So I just thought of taking a walk down the memory lane.

Indian Vehicle Graphic

The vehicles again ask us to ‘horn please’. In India if a person buys a truck or lorry or even an auto-rickshaw, he will go and hire a painter and get the whole vehicle painted with ornamental typo and symbols. Most of them inspired from religion or Family Names. It has become fashion to write something funny on the back the truck/auto/bus.

Since childhood I notice these arts on vehicles, but never thought much about them. While on my recent travel, we were stuck in a jam on a highway. Here again I saw same old motifs and texts. What struck me were the bright colors. The vehicles were ordinary and carried ordinary good, but the owner thought his vehicle special. I feel art like this shows an owner’s love for his vehicle, which may not be so in advertising truck art.