Description
In his essay for the Taste anthology, Kannada writer Vivek Shanbhagexplores themes of his linguistic roots and influences, growing up multilingual in India and translation. These are explored through 5 hand-lettered artworks (3 submitted here), interspersing the essay with evocative pauses. Calligraphic forms across scripts meet the colour palette and handloom and embroidery traditions of coastal Karnataka. 1. Konkani in 5 scripts on handloom saree: The migration and linguistic adaptation of the Konkan people is expressed through ‘Konkani’ in Latin, Devanagari, Nasta’liq, Kannada and Malayalam, ‘travelling’ down the coast. Embroidery stitches draw from regional colours and textiles. 2. Amma: Childhood’s playful abandon, the gamification of learning scripts and words, and a mother’s saree flowing in the wind inform this piece. 3. A Yakshagana performance title is woven into its traditional mask, reflecting the intractable relationship between language, culture and identity.
