Lyrical Landscapes
Every song is a story. Some songs are lyrically powerful and brim with poetic implications. I challenged myself to visualize the music and create collage artworks for some of my favorite Sufi/Folk songs. The goal was to decode the music and morph it into visuals that evoke emotions like happiness, tranquility, freedom, and confusion. Each composition explores a combination of tangible elements like birds, spinning top, musk deer, sacred fig, cage, kite and firefly to metaphorically convey the abstract feelings that the song emits.
O re Piya
The first song is "O Re Piya" from the movie Aaja Nachle (2007). "O Re Piya" elegantly captures the essence of a struggle for freedom, with the imagery of feet adorned in ghunghroos (ankle bells traditionally used by Indian dancers) symbolizing both entrapment and the beauty of expression through dance. The complex relationship between love and freedom, poses an introspective question: What is true liberation? Is it the profound bond of love or the fiery pursuit of passion?
Collage art - O Re Piya
Man Kasturi
The second song is "Mann Kasturi" from the movie Masaan (2015).
"उमर की गिनती हाथ ना आई
पुरखों ने ये बात बताई
उल्टा करके देख सके तो
अम्बर भी है गहरी खाई।"
पुरखों ने ये बात बताई
उल्टा करके देख सके तो
अम्बर भी है गहरी खाई।"
The inspiration to create the art was born from the lines above. How everything you look at can change once you switch the perspective. It goes the same with this collage. You can look at it as it is, or you can turn it upside down and find something beautiful hidden in it.
Collage art - Man Kasturi
Patakha Guddi
The third one in the series is "Patakha Guddi" from the movie Highway (2014).
"Patakha" is the Hindi for "Firecracker" and "Guddi" is the Punjabi for "Kite". This song is about a firey fun-loving girl who has been set free. Like a kite with no strings attached. She is bounded by nothing. Flying freely in the vast sky all by herself.
Collage art - Patakha Guddi
