Faculty of Art

Drawing and Painting

Vishwa Patel

ज्योत्स्ना Jyotsnā (Light of the Moon)

This work is a part of a diptych, offering a contemporary interpretation of Garba and exploring the intersection of tradition, cultural continuity, and labour of love used to create textiles. The figure in this work is more androgynous, dressed in more modern Indian attire, with a cooler color palette that evokes a more introspective, moonlit feeling. This piece is highly embroidered to reference Gujarat’s rich textile heritage. This diptych shows how culture evolves and how traditional elements can coexist with modern expressions. The back of the piece is intentionally visible in the installation (visible in person), highlighting the labor and process that are often hidden behind finished works, emphasizing the value of craftsmanship and effort in creating cultural art that is often overlooked, reinforcing the importance of both process and product, with past and present.