According to Polish artist Alicja Dobrucka, nothing expresses a country's cultural identity with more eloquence than its folk art. In an attempt to visually intersperse folk traditions from across the world, Dobrucka chose one of the most common Polish souvenirs, the rooster, as imagery for her show, Encounters, which is currently on display in the city.
"Folk art conveys shared community values and aesthetics. I have always found the crafts fascinating, possibly because they are specific to the locality and are incredibly laborious. Some traditions have been developed over generations," says Dobrucka, who has collaborated with artists from Palestine, Turkey and India to put together the show.
Artworks by Alicja Dobrucka reflect folk traditions.
Since the inception of the project in 2011, the visual artist has been on her toes, looking for creative professionals with a similar vision. Looking back at the experience, she says, "The selection of the artists was a long-drawn process. I knew some of them personally, but many were via recommendations."
{{/usCountry}}Since the inception of the project in 2011, the visual artist has been on her toes, looking for creative professionals with a similar vision. Looking back at the experience, she says, "The selection of the artists was a long-drawn process. I knew some of them personally, but many were via recommendations."
{{/usCountry}}From traditional paper cut-outs and cross-stitch, to clay work and mixed media work on silk, the exhibition has a wide variety of local arts on display. Ask her about her inspirations, and she says, "I travel a lot, and I am often inspired by the environment of the places I visit. Creative stalwarts such as David Lynch, Roman Polanski, Jean Luc Godard, Franz Kafka and Fjodor Dostojewski have often influenced me."
The show is on till May 28, at Tarq, Apollo Bunder, 11 am onward.