It Ain't So Pretty

'It ain't so pretty' is a mixed media wallpaper consisting of 58 tiles, some designed and inspired by William Morris' wallpaper designs and Indian motifs. When they look at it from far away it looks beautiful, reminding the viewer of their comfortable home but as soon as they look at the tiles individually, they represent the horrific colonial British Raj in India, it all lies in the details. This piece is very personal to me as it carries the stories that my Grandfather used to recite to me when I was a little girl of when he was facing the brutality under the British Raj. I am only the second generation to have lived in complete Independence and this piece is dedicated to all those who spent their lives fighting against the Raj, especially my Grandfather who took part in Independence movements alongside Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi. 

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One of the main changes brought by the British was the compulsion of English Language and that led to a near death of regional languages. Indians were forced to learn English so that communication would be easier for them. Therefore, the inclusion of Hindi language in this piece excludes majority of the Western world, forcing them to learn Hindi in order to completely understand it.