In today's world, the position of women in the society is in a very sensitive state of being - on the one hand, they are growing more strong and independent by the minute, conquering stereotypes and rising to the top in every field imaginable; while on the other hand, they are being neglected, abused, tortured, raped and even killed almost everyday.
On the one hand, there are men who are fighting for justice, voicing their opinion to enforce women's rights; while on the other hand, there are men who are saying that a woman should not dress provocatively or step out of the house after a certain time in order to stay safe.
Such is the hypocritical face of our society. And at the end of it all, we, women, are left to fend for ourselves, stand up for ourselves and fight for ourselves. Which we do with confidence and courage.
The world should remember, for every helpless woman getting raped, there are ten strong ones gearing up to get her justice.
We may be daughters, wives, sisters, mothers or even grandmothers; but over and above all, we are women! And proud to be so!!
*****
This little discourse has nothing to do with today's post. Or even with the fact that it is International Women's Day today.
It came out of the various comments/articles/debates/opinions flooding my news feed about a certain documentary that's doing the rounds of the social media. I won't start talking about it here (coz the whole world and its neighbor is already doing so)......I would also not provide an Youtube link for your perusal (coz the video has been removed from the channel. Nazi rule, anyone?).........but I'll always urge you to call a spade a spade, even if the whole world calls it something else.
That, and to do whatever little you can to make this world a better place to live in.
*****
Vandeepp Kalra poses with a self-portrait of her with her baby made in mosaic
Coming back to the post, on this International Women's Day, I thought of presenting to you a wonderful and inspiring lady that I had the good fortune to meet recently. Her story and her work will say the rest.
Vandeepp Kalra is a self-taught mosaic artist hailing from Kolkata and one of the pioneers in her chosen field of art. What started as a hobby became an obsession and eventually a fully fledged career, Vandeepp Kalra’s love for mosaic art is a patchwork of her experimenting nature, delving in different forms of art, avid reading and the will to carve a niche for herself by creating unique art out of fine pieces of glass. Being a self taught artist, Vandeepp was always drawn to different mediums of art, may it be Oil, Acrylic or Water. She has even visited various art galleries showcasing these popular mediums along with participating in workshops in order to strengthen her skills. However, she discovered mosaic art as her preferred medium after perusing books on art & craft & learning its various techniques & applications. Vandeepp’s art pieces are mostly inspired by her life experiences and travels abroad with husband Kapil Kalra who works for the Merchant Navy. Color plays an important role in her compositions and at times becomes the subject itself.
Her studio at Camac Street, Kolkata has an unusual range of mosaic canvases, mirrors, candle scones, furniture, wall art & gift items. A piece of mosaic art approximately takes one to two months to make, depending on the size and intricacy of the work. The studio imports exemplary quality mosaic tiles and stained glass from Italy, United Kingdom & the Netherlands as well as sourcing from India. The tools used to chisel the artwork are also imported from The Netherlands and United Kingdom.
The studio offers product customization to cater to client specifications as their mission is to create an everlasting experience for its patrons, by forging an ongoing relationship with every customer.
Vandeepp believes that mosaic art is still very nascent in India and wishes to bring awareness and appreciation for this beautiful medium of expression through her works.
The blogger girls with the artist - (L to R) - Debiparna, Dolon, Vandeepp, Me, Poorna, Astha
Vandeepp was sweet enough to gift us little green souvenirs - plants in pots adorned with mosaic art by the artist herself!
You can drop in at Vandeepp's studio in Camac Street to see her gorgeous pieces of art or follow her Facebook Page to stay updated about her work.
And after a long (really long) time, you get to see some outfits on the blog! :)
This digital print tunic is one my recent go-to outfits and this bag is one of my most favorite wedding gifts!!! Of course, you all know how much I love colours....right?
Posing with more of Vandeepp's amazing creations in her studio!
[Digital print muslin tunic: Howrah Bridge | Yellow leather bag: Eske (gifted) | Sandals: Inc.5 | Watch: Giordano (gifted)]
I have been to a whole lot of new places and events in the past few weeks........so stay tuned for a deluge of exciting posts coming soon!!
Till then, take care fellas!
And HAPPY WOMEN'S DAY!!!
Today. And everyday!
Love,
Anupriya DG