STORIES AS SURROGATES OF ART
Published by Pratham Books 2011 - 2013.
Over the years I have explored different illustration styles for different scripts - I’ve begun to question as to what really qualifies as a medium to illustrate. Could the visuals subtly reflect the wordings? For me the choice of the medium is simply the answer to the questions which the text raises. I have always wanted books to be two-fold, not only as a medium for storytelling but also as a resource for learning and teaching art.
Paper Play (2011) and When Amma went to school (2013) were both published multilingually and were created not only for urban children but more-so for remote schools and libraries with limited access to learning materials. My attempt with these books was to work with the awareness that illustration involves art, craft, photography and sculpture. When stories are pitted against images, this contrast and exchange of disciplines creates new visual languages for children.