6 Local Creatives That Are Representing The Essence Of Kochi With Their Work

(L) Vanessa Meister Varma & (R) Kerala Museum

Brilliant work and authentic representation ebb out of all corners in India and we at Homegrown believe in recognizing this brilliance and showcasing it to a readership that is intuitive towards culture and is looking to explore everything that our complex and diverse country has to offer. One of the most beautiful aspects of being an Indian is that we have the option of experiencing multiple cultures and curations simultaneously because each part of our land has something unique to give. The constant excess of culture and exploration has led to a heterogeneous urban identity that is brimming with depth. Kochi’s Annah Chakola embodies a quality that is representative of Kochi’s urban and cultural fabric. She has helped us with a list of curations and promising artists that have something definitive to contribute to the larger puzzle of our country’s identity. Home to the Biennale, Kochi serves as one of the long-standing pillars of India’s cultural and historical context and we aim to identify the individuals and collectives that make this multicultural city so very integral and special.

I. ObscuraDAC:

Obscura: DAC is a community art project involving a mobile ‘do it yourself’ (DIY) digital to
analogue image converter kit (DAC) and printing facility. Obscura: DAC, the brainchild of a Kochi-based artist and photographer Ouso, is a mobile laboratory with the ability to receive images from
multiple digital sources such as cameras, tablets, smartphones. Their beautiful Vandyke format adds a timeless quality to photographs. Ouso has also done great work with the Malaya script. His Graphic design studio and workshop is nestled in Fort Kochi.

Obscura: DAC an experiential work of art inviting that is engaging in its attempt to redirect the attention to the process of photography that is often lost in a world of instant digital reproduction. Obscure: DAC aims to create a dialogue and initiate a discourse that informs and excites the masses to explore image creation and its context in a given environment and time-periods. Visuals are the relics that represent a culture and Obscure DAC aims at highlighting the process and quality that goes behind their making. This is an attempt to bridge the gap between digital and analogue photography by preserving and merging the best of both worlds. Such a sensitive integration of technology with technique is integral in times when one often feels a dissonance between these two frontiers. They are currently developing a home-kit that helps you convert your digital images into quality physical prints at home. Users would be given instructions to print their images at home as well as links to instructional videos of others doing the same. They also conduct workshops for underprivileged children across Kochi and are making monumental contributions in the cultural and social scape of Kochi.

Vandyke prints by Obscura:DAC

II. Aditi Nayar and The Museum of Kerala History

The Museum of Kerala first saw life when it was founded about a few decades ago by local entrepreneur and philanthropist R Madhavan Nayar. As a native of Kochi, he understood the significance of his land’s history and wanted to document its place and narrative via a physical body that would house its narrative. The museum played its role about three decades ago but it took a rejuvenation by his grandniece, Aditi Nayar, for it to find its place in the scape of modern-day Kochi. Brought to life by a newfound sense of purpose and engagement, the museum now hosts a series of talks, events, clubs, and screenings that mirror the state of mind and sentiment of Kochi’s urban population. Aditi Nayar has built on the strong context and intent of the space and added more relevant layers of communication, representation, and engagement.

Aditi Nayar believes, “the world over, museums today are becoming hubs of not only the past but also the future and definitions of the present. The cultural interpretation of a museum is seeing a transformation. So it is important for an institution like ours to reinvent.” [as stated in an interview for The New Indian Express]

III. Trumpet by Meister Bags

Trumpet by Meister is a collective run by Vanessa Meister Varma, a stylist, graphic designer and illustrator that lives and operates out of Kochi. Her quality understanding of texture and fabric is integrated with a strong local context. From her bags to her scarves, her products make you feel like they are made with love and that they are infused with intent. Kochi’s Mediterranean hues are permuted all over her work and she leverages her knowledge of typography and graphic design to create something crisp yet rooted with a local context. The confluence of minimal linework with a maximalist and intricate subculture makes her work so very definitive and interesting to all types of consumers and enthusiasts.

IV. Joe Ikareth

Joe Ikareth, an alumnus of the National Institute is Fashion Technology, Delhi, is a Kerala native who moved back in the year 2000 to start his design collective that combines traditional Indian techniques of embroidery and wood print with contemporary themes. He aims for his clothes to fit the form of the Indian woman with delicacy, elegance and detailed local craftsmanship. His small team of tailors and seamstresses find themselves in the Fort Kochi area. His language and attention towards line and detail, his choice of fabric and understanding of texture represent meticulous craftsmanship with elegance and simplicity. Joe uses natural materials at large and his brand ethos is concentrated around simple and sustainable clothing that reflects the energy of Kochi.

Joe’s work, especially his Move Ability project is very interesting as it is focused on creating clothing for the mobility impaired. Move Ability provides clothes that facilitate ease and mobility for differently-abled people or individuals with special needs.

Joe Ikareth's Coldplay collection

V. Annah Chakola’s Annahmol

Annah Chakola, born and raised in Kochi, is weaving a narrative through her pieces that survive the test of time. She has infused her learning from her time in America with memories and contexts that are rooted in Kochi. There is an active dichotomy in each and every one of us that finds ourselves further away from our homeland as new influences flow into our lives and mould our perspectives. Annah found herself navigating two worlds, India and the USA, over a span of two decades and this instilled in her a sense of solidarity and appreciation for her own homeland. Thus, came the inception of Annahmol.

Annahmol is a testimonial to Annah’s understanding of our culture and her commitment to allowing her erudition of western methodology to flow into her work. Her line of handcrafted jewelry, clothing, bags & accessories for the stylish and self-actualized woman blends an amalgamation of influences to create pieces that are timeless. With stones and fabrics carefully hand-selected by her, each piece tells a unique story. Annahmol understands the significance of preserving the raw essence of vintage textiles and vibrational semi-precious stones. Each piece is transformed into wearable art by artisans’ hands whose traditional craftsmanship is preserved through sustainable partnerships with Annahmol. From wellness products to clothing to bags, rugs, and jewelry, Annahmol has exquisite pieces to remind you of your bearings.

Source: Annahmol

VI. Papaya Media

Papaya Media is a Media House that creates narratives that aim to touch lives. They want to start movements and introduce dialogues with their work and via their brand campaigns. With conceptual videos, imagery, and visuals, they aim to communicate the ideology of a brand with their work. They handled the video production for the Kochi-Muzaris Biennale and have a range of diverse projects in their portfolio. Papaya Media is a quality medium for local and southern brands to communicate their identity and ideology as they are rooted in local context and understanding.