Series- ‘Yarn Array’ (2020 - Ongoing)
Developed under the Five Million Incidents Grant, Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan, in collaboration with Raqs Media Collective (2019–20). Later extended into [We The Photons].

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‘Yarn Array' project illustrates intersection of art and politics. Implicitly questioning the structural inculcation of the practice of “shadism” through innocent channels of children’s book and other material culture, consequently pitting the children as tools of antagonism. Explicitly indicating systemic issues in portrayal of diverse characters in children’s literature globally and fragmented portrayal of characters natively, mirroring absence of inclusivity.
‘Yarn Array’ concentrates mainly on the embellished but misused pictorial media of shadism that is the art of “illustration”. The direct power of character illustrations on the cognitive psychology of children, especially the children who are experiencing lack of creative role models to identify with. Diversity presented with distortions and stereotyping sets in isolation and other complexities in early childhood, with pictures of these characters enduring through books and being engraved in the mind permanently. Therefore, this project aims to highlight attention towards the structurally fragmented inclusivity in children’s literature and illustrations, against the diverse global young audience. Translating this into a series of ironical illustrations thus presenting an alternative reality. Rendering ironic situations from the children’s literary genre for its ability to hold metaphor in limitless ways and retell the stories with the characters otherwise disguised and stereotyped. To use the same language of painted illustrations, not to force the idea on the audience but present an extended unconventional reality challenging the established and enduring phenotype idealistic characters. With “Black” or “Dark-skinned Characters” having a normal existence and presented as idealistic story book characters. Furthermore, to analyze the thriving effect of shadism or colour biases, a colouring experiment is focused on the perceptual memory of people.

The initial trigger was from 19th century “Golliwog” Dolls which were directly racist. Also, deliberate inclusion of similar dark faced caricatured characters mostly depicted as background characters or disguised villains. These being globally marketed as children literary characters, book illustrations and materials of tradition is questionable. Especially in Africa, India (maximum black and brown population respectively) and minority ethnic groups, colonization and continued propaganda have brain washed minds with colour based idealism. The 19-20th century books with colour biased characters, texts and grammars are still in circulation through already established titles and publications. In 2018, Global Statistics show 50 percent of white characters against other races in terms of diversity in storybook characters (Cooperative Children’s Books Centre). The Indian book market is the sixth largest in the world and the second largest in terms of English language market. However diverse socio-economic levels across 29 states and 7 union territories result in vast dispensaries, indispensable income and literacy rate, which means the Indian book market is fragmented (publishers weekly.com).