portfolio
Dhangabati is a play on words from the Odia language to refer to a quirky individual who possesses qualities of a drama queen. It combines the two words dhanga (someone who likes to show off) and Rangabati (hit classic Odia song that refers to a girl with a colorful personality).
This piece highlights Sambalpuri Folk Dance from Western Odisha. The checkered prints on the saree is a common Odia print design known as Pasapalli. The four dancers posing in the line represents how community is a huge aspect of Sambalpuri culture. The dance form often is performed by groups during celebrations and various festivities.
This design was originally created in dedication to Nuakhai - a celebration dedicated to welcoming the new harvests of the season in the form of a feast.
Taking reference to the popular Debby Ryan meme, this graphic highlights lajja (to showcase coyness) - a common expression highlighted in Odia theatrics and storytelling.
This figure incorporates the chita designs (white intricate patterns) on the forehead which is commonly worn in traditional Odia weddings by the bride. White/silver jewelry is also very popular in Odisha most commonly worn by Odissi dancers.
This figure also showcases the pasapalli checkered print on the top to showcase an Odia model supposedly doing the coy Debby Ryan meme.
Mote Lajja Laguchi - I'm feeling shy.
This design highlights, Patachitra, a traditional art form from Odisha. Patachitra art originates from the Rathurajpur village of Puri district where artisans originally crafted these designs for Lord Jagannath during Ratha Jatra (chariot festival) and other ocassions. This style of art is painted on many different surfaces such as stones, palm leaves, sarees, glass work and many more.
For many artisans, their livelihood is dependent on their craft. Oftentimes, families get together to develop and promote this artwork. Rathurajpur is known to contribute to the growth of art and culture in Odisha. Nowadays, the Govt. of Odisha provides Patachitra painting training to promote this handicraft to others who may have grown outside the culture of this village. In this way, the traditional painting technique does not near extinction and the traditions are continued to be promoted throughout generations.
*This graphic design does not attempt to be classified as an authentic Patachitra painting, but merely an attempt to promote and represent the art form. This design does not reflect the amount of labor inputted to create the fine lines in traditional Patachitra art.
This piece takes inspiration from Michael Jackson's Black or White music video where Yamuna Sangarasivam, Odissi dancer, made an appearance alongside star, Michael Jackson. Their choreography paralleled each other in the music video where Sangarasivam performed traditional Odissi choreography while Michael Jackson complemented alongside with his flavor of pop-influenced movements.
This was one of the first times when Odissi made a notable appearance on a global mainstream platform. This graphic aims to highlight Indian classical dance representation in Hollywood while promoting the message that there is more to come in the future.
In the graphics, the Odissi dancer sits alongside a ledge looking out for opportunities to present itself in Hollwood. This also combines both aspects of Odia-American culture - infusing Odissi with America's major entertainment industry.
Pakhala is a traditional fermented rice water dish from Odisha. Oftentimes, the dish is garnished with herbs such as coriander leaves, mint leaves, fresh chili, onions, ginger, and many more depending on one's preference. Pakhala is associated to have a lot of health benefits and help with digestion.
Pakhala Divas (also known as World Pakhala Day) is celebrated on March 20th where people gather to eat the staple dish from Odisha.
This graphic puts a twist from the common saying "An apple a day keeps the doctors away" to "A Pakhala a day keeps the peta problems away".
Peta in odia means stomach so essentially this phrase refers to the digestive health benefits associated with this dish.
The palm tree leaves in the corner of the graphic signify the hot climate in Odisha where Pakhala is traditionally served as a chilled dish to keep the body cool.
This graphic focuses more on the branding aspect of Odiaesthetics presenting the Odia version of the logo. The logo incorporates Adibasi (tribal) designs to promote this style of art. Community and team work are a huge part of several Adibasi group's values.
Taking a closer look, the Adibasi print tells a story with village life that incorporates aspects of live music, community dancing, the relationship between humans and wildlife and teamwork with cooking food and getting water for the community. The background highlights the Sambalpuri saree design - a recurring design for this brand.
This digital art design highlights the intricate architectural design from the ancient Mukteshwar Mandir (Temple) in Bhubaneswar. This design aims to highlight the rich culture and history associated with stone sculptures engrained onto the exterior surface.
A lot of times representation of ancient architectural designs from Odisha is not accurate on many art-specific databases. Many of them are titled under the name, "unidentified tribal village" without any regards to the name of the historical site or any reference to it. This only furthers the notion that there is not enough research or evidence behind Odisha's arts, history, and culture on several mainstream platforms whether it is based for research, entertainment, or educational purposes.
This brand aims to combat some of this ignorance and misinformation by creating trendy designs so people are willing to promote and educate themselves about the culture on their own terms.