Haveli:
The Painted Walls of Shekhawati
Northern Rajasthan
Shiv Shekhawaiti - Jhunjunu, Rajhasthan
This was a magnificent happy accident of a art residency happening!
Working alongside a local master Makan Ji, I learnt the art of Haveli Painting , depicting a mix of religious, mythological and historical themes to adorn the walls.
Together we drank chai, smoked bidi’s and spoke hindi (thora thora) whilst painting a full room in the Shiv Shekhawati herritage hotel.
The Shekhawati region in Northern Rajasthan is famous for its frescoes and painted haveli dating from the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a real honour to take part in preserving cultural heritage in India.
It’s a pity that I don’t have any photos of the ‘fine’ paintbrushes we used for intricate work, or the home made scaffolding to paint the ceiling. If you’ve been to India, you’ll know.
None of this would have have happened had my sister and I had not endured the first of our many long train journeys throughout India.
We were squeezed into a jam packed carriage with some local people who were travelling to their family wedding, who shared their food with us and insisted that we join them at the wedding. Of course our then-set plans were derailed to take up such a generous offer. Such is the beautiful spontaneity and freedom which comes from travelling. The unforgettable Hindu wedding experience then led to the Havelli painting, and a love affair with India began as I travelled back and forth from London for a period of 10+ years to submerged in ther culture to which I feel I have only scratched the surface of.
My art practice was heavily influenced at that time by India, fusing tradition with contemprary and accumilating in my first debut solo show at Casa on Brick Lane, East London. Following this, a bigger show at the Nehru Centre in Mayfair, upon invite from the High Commission of india.
