InkTober is about dedicating the entire month of October to ‘Inking’ (open to interpretation). As with any good challenge, it has no strict rules, other than you set your own pattern and follow it. Thereafter, you hashtag it with #inktober and share your drawing on social media.
Well I’ve always been good at setting a pattern and following it 😉 My pattern usually dictates that I join last and finish all in one shot towards the end. It’s simple.
Given that I’d been itching to get back to my drawing days…aah yes!…from way back when…I wondered if this would help me get back in the game.
As it turned out….it did!
Now, these are not strictly drawings…as one imagines drawings to be….but they used to be tremendous fun as middle school musings.
Middle-bench attendance keenly focused on the last page of the notebook. Medium: the notorious finger-staining Reynolds blue ball point pen.
So I started on Oct 20, and in a bid to make up for lost time, here are my drawings from Day 1- Day 7.
It was in Sydney, while working as an assistant chef in a student accommodation, I realized that I am a hands-on person- not managerial or academic. Pencil-pushing was just not for me.
Well, things didn’t work out there and I landed back in India, in a jewellery design and technology course. As luck would have it, I struggled with commercial design as a student but took to creative expression in design, and manufacturing, very naturally.
Mandala, Brooch. 2000.
Graduating in 2001, I spent the next 8 years, continuously putting my concepts to paper and investing in my studio workshop while teaching design as a full-time job. Though I enjoyed teaching, I really wanted to be in my studio making jewellery.
And in 2009, I finally embarked on my studio practice.
Between the fish and the moon. 2009. Starting my journey with bad product photography.
Always having been a story teller, even the simplest of pieces that I made, carried their own world with them.
Earrings for a marrying woman. 2010.
I’m not actively looking to make my pieces conventionally feminine, though some of them are…
Stepping Stones Bracelet. 2024.
I’m not looking to make my pieces artisanal, though some of them are…
Lovebirds earstuds. 2024
Nor designer wear…
Leaves in the moonlight. Necklace. 2024
Nor Art Jewellery…
An Indian Landscape. Brooch. 2024
The seed, the germinating seed and the flower. Set of 3 rings. 2012
A lot of my pieces are unisex.
He was a quiet man. Brooch. 2015.
I’m really just looking to tell stories- sometimes mine and mostly of the world around me.
Tit-elation. Brooches for men. 2014.
I see my practice as an artistic practice. I conceptualize and construct in my head, on paper and with my thinking hands too.
The ante-stone rings. 2011.
I go where the stories take me and don’t hold back.
From the start, I found this work ethic very freeing and liberating. It gave me the wherewithal to construct narratives, form & express opinions and observations without being restricted by or limited to any ideology.
My work gives me the freedom to think and allows my imagination to fly.
Currently I’m exploring gender expression and cohabitation (below).
I’ve participated in fairs, some international and national exhibitions and done a few other things.
I am not and never have been in a rush and I’ve never followed trends. I’ve always worked at my own pace and done my own thing.
I’m coming back to work after a long sabbatical and looking forward to showing you my jewellery, working on collaborations, meeting new people and forming new associations.
I was struggling with my own mental health in 2014-15, when I saw the 2007 Christian Slater starring movie-He was a quiet man. It tells the story of a man, ignored by his colleagues, friendless and probably schizophrenic, who dreams of killing all his co-workers in a shooting spree, but ultimately stands in the middle of the office room and shoots himself. There is a general apathy even then from his colleagues. His neighbours too, after a few comments of – He was a quiet man, fade away.
Having cut myself off from all of my friends, relatives and neighbours and feeling suicidal, owing to the abuse I was facing at the time, this movie strongly resonated with me. And I developed the general progression of the film into a set of 3 brooches, the first in the series of He was a quiet man.
The first piece here, shows the quiet, unexpressive man. The second depicts the rage inside his head and the third, shows the bullet wound in his head, from which no blood has spilt, signifying the lack of empathy for him even in his death.
In 2015, I was invited to participate in an exhibition in France and I made my next quiet man.
He was a quiet man: listening to the lesser heard voices. Sterling silver, resin.
This piece was about those empathetic souls who embrace silence in a culture that aggressively generates noise, to better hear the fast-drowning voices of nature. It depicts a nearby urban forest, Sanjay Van, with a tiny bird speaking into the quiet man’s ear. Somewhere, this piece was also about my desire for silence after moving away from an abusive religious cult that had filled my ears and my head with incessant chatter and noise.
Around 2016, I started work on another quiet man but was unable to complete it due to my health struggles and I thereafter stayed away from jewellery till 2020.
He was a quiet man: multiple illuminations. Sterling silver.
This is the brooch in progress in 2021. I was returning to the bench after many years and it was 2023, by the time I finished it.
This is the piece held against the light in 2023. By now, I had largely recovered and was enjoying the process of conceptualizing and manufacturing again. The series naturally moved towards exploring and celebrating the bright and rich inner lives of quiet people.
In October 2023, Israel initiated it’s inhuman and tragic genocide of Palestinians, a war that is still ongoing. The war has affected me deeply and in January 2024, I made a quiet man that came out openly in his support for Palestinians and Palestinian resistance.
The quiet man stands with Palestine: Sterling silver, artist’s blood, acrylic paint.
The brooch has barbed wire on the face of the quiet man, signifying both the boundaries raised on stolen land and the crown of thorns that Jesus wore on his head. The piece has been oxidized to show the destruction and the gloom and is stained with blood. And yet the poppy, a symbol of Palestinian resistance, rises above the tyranny, tall and upright.
By this time, my head was buzzing with ideas for the quiet man. I mostly make one-of-a-kind pieces; a single piece carries the story from start to end. This is my first series and there is still so much to explore and express.
He was a quiet man: In solitude. Sterling silver, resin.
Spring and early summer: a magical time in Delhi. The whole city is in bloom and shedding at the same time. Bright blue skies and trees with lush canopies. The ear rests under the gentle, cradling shade, barely visible, in solitude, at peace.
Of course, once I completed In solitude, I thought of developing it into a mini-series, within the He was a quiet man series. And thus came about the next piece:
He was a quiet man: the call of the ocean. Sterling silver, resin.
Completely open to interpretation, is this brooch a call to adventure or a call for self-reflection and discovery? Does the ocean beckon you to a cruise with friends, food and laughter- a break from silence? I leave that to the wearer and the viewer to decide for themselves.
I currently have 2 more quiet men, lying on my bench, awaiting completion and many more inside my head.
In pre-colonial times, in India, the designer and craftsperson were often the same people. Designers emerged as a separate entity owing to art and design schools opened by the British.
Gradually the designers were given an elevated status in our society post independence as well as seen through various policies and the establishment of design schools. The urban Indian came to look down on working with their hands and aspired almost always to be a designer.
Most designers too patronize a craft, not the craftspeople, but don’t think twice about promoting their own name rather than just their design. The craftspeople as a result, often remain anonymous.
As a jewellery student, many many years ago, I learnt that Gems & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) gave artisan awards both to outstanding craftspersons and designers, which is both progressive and pathbreaking. Unfortunately, this has not led to the levelling of the social status between goldsmiths and designers. When we buy jewellery as customers, the first thing we compromise on is craftsmanship which we have dismissively and conveniently termed ‘labour’. Consequently, the number of skilled and innovative goldsmiths have been progressively dropping in the industry.
I also find that the local crafts associated with Delhi have all but vanished, particularly in jewellery, not having received any encouragement or patronage either from the state or from the craft organizations, who seem to be focused primarily on textiles. There are no artist craftspersons selected for craft shows or represented in craft organizations from Delhi either.
Craft organizations tend to patronize (not too happy about using that word, but that is the truth of the matter) rural and indigenous artists and craftspeople over the urban ones. Instead of encouraging a dialogue and an exchange of perspectives between the two, they tend to reinforce the divide.
I strongly feel money is a facilitator, not a creative input. The creation of a piece involves both the designer and the craftsperson and should ideally be known as a collaboration, but is often known by the name of the financier.
One of the reasons I started my jewellery studio in 2009, apart from of course my love for manufacturing, was to challenge the unfairness in-built in our systems.
There needs to be change. Craftspeople need to speak up and take up space in our society, for them and the designers to come together to move towards a fairer system of creation and for our society to support them in this endeavour.
I developed this brooch for the Transmission-Exposition, curated by Sebastien Carre and Florine Menant at Studio 411-Galerie, France. It is in continuation of my ‘He was a quiet man’ series and also documents my love for Delhi and its natural habitat.
Living in a culture that aggressively generates noise and pushes for constant talk-time, silence can allow for those lesser voices to be heard that are constantly under threat and in danger of being wiped out.
In this piece, the mind is mapped by the autumnal colours of an urban forest of Delhi: Sanjay van that is fighting to survive encroachments, illegal construction, deforestation and neglect. It is dotted with beautiful lakes and streams and a plethora of flora and fauna that seem to peacefully co-exist with the city scape of a noisy and urban Delhi.
When all is dark and hush, the lesser heard voice of the sparrow can be heard, chirping, chirruping and whispering in the quiet man’s ear.
The exhibition showcases the works of 53 contemporary jewellery makers from 21 countries and runs from October 17 to December 12, 2015 at Studio 411-Galerie, Montpellier, France.
The Blog-o-sphere Think Tank topic for July: ‘Where I went this summer’
The top view of the gopuram
Kapaleeshwar Temple Mylapore
Chennai
India
I recently travelled to Chennai, to attend the opening of the Contemporary Jewellery show I was participating in. There, I also attended a talk by art historian Chithra Madhavan on ‘The Navrasas in art and sculpture from South India’, organized by Apparao Galleries.
The rasa (mental state) of Karunyam (compassion) was illustrated through the story of rishi Bhringi, carved on the gopuram (a gateway-usually a monumental ornate tower at the entrance of the temple complex) of the Kapaleeshwar temple in Mylapore, Chennai. The top of the gateway traces many other stories of Lord shiva and his consort Goddess Parvati through innumerable sculptures.
A trip to the temple inevitably became my next stop.
Gopuram door with bells
Detail of a building housing a shrine
There are numerous halls and shrines inside the complex, though the two prominent ones of Shiva and Parvati have impressive flagstaffs outside the buildings housing the sanctum sanctorum.
Agamis playing instruments on a pillar in the hall
Agamis playing instruments on a pillar in the hall
The flagmast outside the main shrine
Bottom detail of the flagmast outside the main shrine
Lord Krishna carved on one of the pillars of the main shrine
Can you see sage Bhringi, the 3-legged devotee of Lord Shiva?
The 3-legged Bhringi with Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati on their bull Nandi
According to mythology, Bhringi only wanted to worship Shiva. Shiva’s consort, Parvati, however, took offence at not being worshipped too and sat on her husband’s lap. Bhringi became a snake and slithered between the two.
Shiva, then merged his body with Parvati, taking on the famous ardhanarishwar form. But Bhringi adamantly turned himself into a bee and tried to gnaw his way between the two.
Annoyed, Parvati cursed the sage to loose all parts of his body that came from his mother (In Hindu mythology, bones come from the father and flesh and blood from the mother)
Weakened, Bhringi collapsed on the floor and sure enough, learnt his lesson.
Lord Shiva, then gave Bhringi a third leg to help him stand upright.
Garlands of flowers and lotuses for sale outside the temple
Hungry for more? You can read posts of my friends on the same topic here:
When I picked up my work again after a gap of 2 years, in 2014, I decided to give myself a challenge of the never-before (…or atleast not since I started my studio practice in 2009).
And 20 brooches took shape.
Some have been blogged about earlier.
Here they all are….in one post 🙂
1. Under the night sky(front)- 2014
Under the night sky (back)- 2014
2. A simal spring- 2014
3. Gulmohar (front)- 2014
Gulmohar (back)- 2014
4. A simal spring- 2014
5. Sunken treasures- 2014
6. Pushing the boundaries- 2014
7. buried treasures- 2014
8 & 9. Tit-elation- 2014
10. The simal in Autumn- 2014
11. Shiva emerging from the pillar of fire- 2014
12. The vigil of Utka (front)- 2014
The vigil of Utka (back)- 2014
13. The limp of the royal buffoon- 2014
14. And still I live (front)- 2014
And still I live (back)- 2014
15, 16, 17. he was a quiet man- 2014
18. My passion stands like a blackened doorway- 2014
In 2011, 321 studio jewellers answered to a Flickr challenge to make one ring a week and post a photograph of the finished piece to the community group. The challenge was conceptualized and initiated by Thomasin Durgin. There were no fixed rules. Rings did not need to be made of metal, nor did they need to be tangible objects.
1 year=52 weeks=52 rings.
I’d never taken on such a challenge before and jumped right into it. The results surprised me too, as I pushed the limits of my technical and narrative skills each week, with each piece.
Here they all are. Yup! All 52 of them in one post 😉
RAW 1
The Lovebird family: Front & Back
RAW 3- And spring surges forth
RAW 4- Marigold: Summer blossom
RAW 5- a late april shower
RAW 6: Spring birds
RAW 7
RAW 8-Beaten and weathered…O! but it’s new ; )
RAW 9 & 10- The ante stone and the stone ring
RAW 10 & 11- the stone and the ante stone ring
RAW 12
RAW 13
RAW 14- The gathering at dusk
RAW 15- Marigold: Winter blossoms
RAW 16- at the threshold
RAW 17- Winter always turns to Spring
RAW 18- bends & turns
RAW 19- nest
RAW 20- a ring for viswakarma day
RAW 21,22,23-the seed, the germinating seed & the flower
A round red balloon….From the ‘I dream in red…’ series
Sahr Bashir
1. Please tell us a bit about yourself.
After graduating from the College of Fine Art (COFA), University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia with a Postgraduate Degree in Design in 2001, I established the Department of Jewelry & Accessory Design within the School of Visual Art & Design at the Beaconhouse National University, Lahore, Pakistan in 2004. This was the first Programme of its kind in Pakistan, which offered an undergraduate degree in Jewelry Design and my focus was to develop curricula and educational materials in addition to training faculty, professionals, craftspeople and students.
2. How would you describe your journey as a contemporary jeweller?
My interest in jewelry and objects grew from my freelance design practice after my undergraduate degree in Visual Communication Design at the National College of Arts, Lahore. I was always fascinated with found objects and collected everything from broken glass fragments to river stones. This gradually led to my work becoming a ‘space’ where precious metals and gemstones overlapped with ordinary ‘invaluable’ materials to make statement pieces.
My designs are journeys into the unexpected: imaginary landscapes (Landscape series) where one may find vivid red coral blooming unexpectedly in a plastic paradise. Or encounter a shimmering pearl lake beside a rocky island of pyrite….Each piece is a fluid attempt to create a thoughtful dialogue of the ‘natural’ and the ‘simulated’.
forest of vines
“And I dream in Red..’ is a narrative collection of brooches, where traces of memories overlap with surreal dreams.
Do come in, my dear..
3. What inspires you?
Nature and all the ‘treasures’ waiting to be discovered in the city of Lahore and beyond!
4.What direction do you see your work taking over the next 5/10 years?
I plan to take out more time to write about everything and anything, as these narratives eventually dictate my work.
5.What are your thoughts about the contemporary jewellery field evolving in South Asia?
The most challenging aspect of working as a contemporary artist-jeweler in this part of the world has been the notion of questioning the very definition of jewelry. The Sub-continent, with its rich history of precious jewels and ornaments dictates the widely accepted ideals of jewelry as body adornment with a distinct inherent ‘value’. Attempts to incorporate ‘non-precious’ materials and technology are resisted and embraced at the same time, thus posing more questions and leading to the exploration of exciting outcomes!
coral island
6.List of publications, projects and exhibitions that you’ve been involved in.
Recipient of Australian Alumni Excellence Award for Education 2014 by the Government of Australia, Presented by the High Commissioner of Australia, Lahore, Pakistan, 2014
Selected for Showcase of Jewelry Design Collection at The Beijing International Jewelry Exhibition 2013 by The Committee of Beijing International Design Week and The Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology (BIFT), Beijing, China, 2013 (as the first Jewelry Artist from Pakistan)
‘Humnawa’ Skills Training and Product Development for women in Muzaffargarh, (South Punjab) in collaboration with PSDF (Punjab Skills Development Fund), Lahore, Pakistan, 2012 which was nominated for the MacJannet Prize 2013 Honorable Mention Award by Talloires Network, Tufts University.
Show of Jewelry Collection at launch of No Man’s Land Gallery, Delhi, India 2012
Show of Jewelry Collection at Monsoon Festival, Alliance Francaise, Delhi, India 2012
Design, Implementation and Training through Certificate Courses in various trade skills (wood crafting, chain making, stamping, etching, fashion accessories), Beaconhouse National University, Lahore, Pakistan, 2012-13
Training of students, craftsmen and alumni in the Traditional Art of Vessel making in collaboration with German silversmith, Michael Boy and Anne Marie Schimmel-Haus, Goethe Institute, Lahore, Pakistan, 2011
Master Trainer for Product & Design development for Bahawalpur Craftsmen (South Punjab) with AHAN, SMEDA (Small & Medium Enterprise Development Authority), Lahore, 2006
7.Where can one buy your work?
My design studio in Lahore
tree of life
8.Website
In process
9.E-mail
sahrbashir@gmail.com
10.Currently:
On the bench: Cast rose thorns, snowglobes and dandelions
thestudioat605 