Statement wooden jewellery Photoshoot

Last May, I organised a workshop for artisans who work with wood and leather . We made both big and little wood components that could be used as pendants or focals. Enthusiastic about the way they turned out, I posted on Instagram about a wooden jewellery collection for which I got a lot of enquiries. However, my efforts to convert them into jewellery failed at the point and I gave up for the want of time to work on other projects. But every 2-3 months someone would ask me about the wood pieces and I would promptly take them out of my cupboard, attempt to design and put the back again. This went on until January of 2019.

Makeup +Styling  + Jewellery Photoshoot

In January, I had an opportunity to collaborate with a local Makeup artist Ms. Abhirami Sivakumar who did a fabulous demo for my students. She is not only a great makeup artist but also an excellent teacher and a dedicated professional. Knowing that I would be collaborating with her, I envisioned two similar looks in terms of styling. I used 2 similar looking Nuapatna Ikat Sarees, one which was gifted to me by my student as her first salary present. They needed something earthy in terms of jewellery to match them. I turned my attention to the wooden pieces.

Statement Wooden jewellery Photoshoot

As you can see in the pictures about I made a wooden ring and new neck pieces. The bigger one though neatly made looks rustic and tribal due to its size. To match that effect, I made the smaller one in a rugged fashion. It has crossover wraps of twine and golden edging for the distressed pendant. I also made a brass cuff and a snake chain belt.

The shoot with students modelling, turned out to be great and I was happy to finally put the wooden pieces to good use. The Credits for the above pictures are as follows. I have watermarked them with my URL only for the purpose of publication on this website.
Models – Rehna, Nidhi
Photographers  Sanchit, Prem kumar
Makeup – Abhirami Sivakumar
Styling & Jewellery – Divya N

Community Art/Photo Project

But that is not the end of the story of the wooden jewellery. The ring and the smaller necklace feature in a Community art – Fashion photography project by my students for the Chennai Photo Biennale .The exhibit is at the Thiruvanmiyur MRTS train station in Chennai till March 22nd. The entire exhibit is titled “Truth of hope” with subseries by different groups of students. The idea was to look at beauty from a community perspective. People from different walks of life like drivers, cooks, construction workers, gypsies and flower sellers have been photographed in high fashion editorials.

Oru Muzham Poo (a yard of strung flowers) 

This particular series showcased two flower sellers with jasmine garlands all around them.  In south Indian Hindu households, we buy strung flowers everyday either for worship or for the women of the house to wear them. So the conversation that we have with our flower sellers everyday for years is “How are you and how much is a yard of the jasmine/marigold/kadamba/etc flowers” and if the price is acceptable we buy it. Thus the relationship between the buyers and the flower sellers whom we might have known for years/decades can be capsuled in that one phrase “Oru Muzham poo.” The seller’s life too revolves around buying the flower buds at the crack of dawn, stringing and selling them on the roadside, one yard at a time. Thus, I felt that this title would be apt.

The one that you see above is from another sub-series titled the Royal resurrection and is a story about an aging queen and a Diwan who tries to overthrow her. This particular look incorporates my jewellery – necklace, earrings, tikka, bangles as well – although its kemp and not wood.

Please do visit the exhibit to see the rest of the series and plan to visit the other locations of the Biennale as well.