This is a found word accordion book I made from scratch, when I was in San Francisco recently. It was an exercise that involved discovering an order in the randomness of tearing out words from a novel, and placing them in a new context, or the lack of it. By the end of the exercise, the pages had developed a flow of sorts, unbeknown to me. There are images, image transfers, dry leaves, twigs and whatnot that overflow through the rest of this book, but what held my specific grasp was tearing out words and unconsciously letting them rearrange themselves.
This little project was momentous to someone like me, who likes to have things in “control” What it started, I don’t know, or it was perhaps just a catalyst to something that was already on a roll. I just don’t feel there’s any need to tamper with the natural order of things and the universe. Simple but a constant awareness seems to be enough for now – it does the job and has the immense capacity to take us through, complete with the unraveling of directions to wherever it is we want to go. It is working for me. How, I don’t know. And I’m trying not to fight that too much. I’m not asking. When I was a little girl my father once flung me into the pool because he thought there was no better way for me to learn how to use my wings. He said, don’t ask too many questions, just learn. The wisdom behind that, I feel in it’s entirety.
As we speak, in the background there are looming deadlines, bills to be paid, responsibilities, and that big little rascal, ego, always telling me what to do. But for now, this moment is beautiful. Just the way it is. My puppies beside me breathing peacefully as I write, my heart is beating fast and I’m letting it be. The heady fragrance of lemongrass and roses in my studio fills me. A moment of euphoria. A pang of post run hunger. My favourite old tamil music keeping rhythm with my fingers as I type out these words….the natural order of things…
What’s up next.
I don’t know, and I’m exhausted looking for what I don’t need to know. It is beautiful just as it is.
{ }
by ramya
on April 30, 2013
by
Shreyas Jayakumar, Ramya Reddy & Ashita Mathew
It’s hard to summarize the overwhelming feeling we experienced when our paths crossed with the troubled souls residing at what was once the economically Weaker Section housing complex at Ejipura. What were once secure housing blocks, have now been reduced to dirt to benefit mankind’s greed. A swanky shopping mall is destined to occupy a site that has seen some tragic outcomes as a result of its deracination. Mountains of excavated earth, tons of trash and leftover remnants of the residents’ paltry possessions – the scene was eerily similar to what we see in many disaster movies, but this is exactly what greeted us when we – Ramya, Varsha, Ashita, Tiya and Shreyas – entered the hurriedly-barricaded entrance. Armed with boiled eggs, biscuits, bread and milk, we made our way into the plot, with only one objective in mind – to feed as many of the hungry, displaced dogs (and cats) as we could find.
That sense of sinking despair had already set in as we were approaching the folks who would lead us to the several dogs that desperately needed to be fed. We were received with a sense of remorse and bitterness (as we had expected). ‘Dogs over people?’, we were asked by many. We had done sufficient homework and knew that the meals for the human population were being tended to, and were also told by our peers not to be bogged down by these very human, outbursts. We went right ahead and started feeding the needy babies – over 80 dogs and puppies that were rendered homeless and abandoned – without any further thoughts affecting what we had set out to d0….Read the rest of the story here
{ }
by ramya
on February 15, 2013
portrait of a tribal mother-infant from the nilgiris, transferred using acetone onto a page of my grandfather’s book
A quick entry before I disappear.
I’ve been getting my hands dirty at image transfers for sometime now (sporadically, however) – as a part of prep for one of my next projects. Must say I haven’t really gotten far with these trials, but I’m loving every bit of the process and to be actually using my hands. I liked what came of one of these experiments and thought it was share-worthy :) Intend to peruse this a lot more next month when my current state of affairs is a little more relaxed. Any thoughts, ideas with regard to this are more than welcome.
I will be back soon, with a post about a favourite topic of mine – Indian Dogs.
{ }
by ramya
on January 7, 2013
Did another year just pass us by ? Feels like so much happened in a flash. So much.
There have been goods and the bads, bitter days and sweet ones, sadness, joys, incredibly fulfilling exchanges & projects, mountain days & rainy ones, countless cups of chais, coffees and glasses of vino over amazing conversations, books and plenty of art.
Most importantly, lots of love and positivity.
Milestones happened, leaps of faith too, and self belief. I am a decade older – stronger with an improved sense of humour ;-) a better artist (I think), a fairly decent cook, a godmother, and journeyed through all these waves along with my ever supportive love, R. Oh, and we’ve never been more sure of wanting to add to our brood of four legged babies.
I hope I have been able to give more than I have taken. And for all that I have received from the universe and from my beautiful family & friends, I am ever so grateful. Happy 2013 !
{ }
by ramya
on December 11, 2012
Hello Everyone.
This calendar is a part of my ongoing project about living in harmony with our community dogs and finding ways to take responsibility for their welfare through baby steps. They belong in the urban landscape as much as we do and in my opinion, their warm presence indicates a state of good energy floating all around because dogs are devoid of negativity. If we put our heads together, we can work at keeping their population in check in a compassionate manner and also reduce that lurking uneasiness of “stray dog menace” and instead, eventually turn it into “community dog asset” It is possible simply because dogs are nature’s gifts to mankind and they are simple folks who only want some love. And we as humans are capable of so much more love than we know.
So let’s open up our hearts.
Love, ramya
{ }
by ramya
on November 27, 2012
“Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again”
– L Frank Baum
…and wonder at how fresh those citrus hues look against the blues
…or catch the tingling aroma of street food and watch how it colours the air with it’s steam
and then stop to greet this patiently waiting basket…
and the dispersed petals about to join the winds of change.
It’s ironic that I have so much to say here, but feel completely blank once I start a new post. It’s not a rut for sure, but a blankness that comes with being overwhelmed by life’s potpourri in general – but in a good way. That heavy, heady blend of joy, confidence, sadness, love, creative flow, and fear.
So. on another note, I was surprised to see how many images of blue had found their way into my computer. Mostly from strolls in the mountain markets while scouring for fresh produce – sights and smells thereof. Like the fiery reds of the Indian summer, I like to think that these blues correspond with the Indian winter, which, I am savouring completely at the moment.
{ }
by ramya
on October 22, 2012
Janaka : “Who is that Self ?”
Yajnavalkya : “The Self, pure awareness, shines as the light within the heart, surrounded by the senses…
…Only seeming to think, seeming to move, the self neither sleeps nor wakes nor dreams.
~ Brihadaranyaka Upanishad – 7 (translated by Eknath Easwaran)
~~~
It’s been a really busy last few weeks and I’ve been drawing a lot of inspiration and calm from this translation of the Upanishads.
So simply, articulately written. Highly recommend.
Needless to say, I’m thrilled the rains are visiting more often, and I’m going to be back next week with a Monsoon Colours Post.
Hope everyone is enjoying the comforting blanket of the cloudy skies and the lovely warmth of the peek-a-boo October sunshine.
{ }
by ramya
on October 1, 2012
Was mediating on these and the beauty of falling, decaying, and being born again.
{ }
