Rehashed: The 10 Designers To Have Taken the #HGArtProject Limelight So Far

At Homegrown, we have the red carpet perpetually rolled out for artists, musicians and people from various creative backgrounds to bring their work before new audiences.

We kicked off the #HGArtProject to create a platform like that, where some of the most cutting-edge artists could showcase their work to our readers and followers.

Thus we turned our Facebook page into a revolving art space, where a different artist’s work could be found every fortnight, dabbling in an array of visual sensibilities and vocabulary.

As we move smoothly into double digits, we just had to take a moment and take a look back at the last 10 editions to realise the range of styles and inclinations we’d explored through the projects we’ve discovered, and harboured a deep admiration for, the past few months.

I. Anant Ahuja

To launch the project, we got Delhi-based Anant Ahuja to create something for us. We have been looking at his work for years now and wanted to do something with him, and his art work turned out to be even better than we could have imagined.

II. Ishan Rathod (Rozeta Stoned)

We wouldn’t blame 23-year-old Ishan Rathod (RozetaStoned) if he’s come to think of Homegrown as some sort of hallowed creep, skulking around in alleyways, waiting to pounce on every cherubic, young designer we can find. Every time we’re on the prowl for edgy artwork, he pops up on speed dial and it won’t be hard to see why, once you’ve been acquainted with his work.

Naturally, he was one of the first few artists we felt compelled to hit up when the HG Art Project began to take its original shape and we were honoured to have his work up as part of the 2nd edition of this project.

As always, he managed to nail the brief, even when there wasn’t one. A constant innovator and still very young, we’re fairly certain he’ll be testing out new design approaches for a long time before he settles (if at all) on something that truly defines him.

III. Eureka Alphonso

In a professional atmosphere, this spirited, young designer is almost nomadic in her behaviour, never shying away from a challenge, and flexible enough to extract the most unusual details from any artwork you toss her way, somehow finding a way to make it her own. 

Eureka Alphonso’s outlandish interests and borderline fetishistic obsession with Japanese culture churn out artworks that stand alone in a sea of mimicry, so we caught up with her to find out just exactly what’s in store for the world now that she’s out and soaring.

IV. Pia Meenakshi

For the 4th edition of the #HGArtProject we got collector/painter/tattoo artist – Pia Meenakshi – who runs a design studio based in Bangalore called GUMANI. Having had the chance to work closely with her during the PUMA Collectors & Curators Event we hosted back in March 2014, we can vouch for her incredible portfolio as well as her zest for what she does.

V. Malvika Asher

Malvika Asher’s message through design isn’t one of exclusivity or strictly defined rules, but focuses more, instead, on fluidity, allowing her initial thoughts to organically develop and follow through till the end.

Though she had no idea that she would end up a designer, having forgone any formal training in the same, it’s not hard to see that fate took its own course with her.

VI. Priyesh Trivedi

Priyesh Trivedi’s आदर्श बालक artwork for Homegrown got an instant laugh out of us – it’s so familiar, it’s almost like an inside joke. Indian kids of the 80’s and 90’s congregate in this unlikely combination of nostalgia and subversive humour, sparking – so to speak – a phenomenal following in the series.

आदर्श बालक placidly wanders through his posters offering a joint to his tired father (who accepts it gratefully), tricks his chemistry teacher into dropping acid to get an ‘A+’ (flashing a thumbs up in the last panel, kohl-lined eyes smiling) and indulges in some old-school beer-swigging graffiti-on-wall sort of anti-establishment behaviour in the series.

VII. Mudit Ganguly

Mudit Ganguly lays claim to just about every design possibility and refuses to define himself with any particular style. It’s a trait that translates into his personality as well and it’s what made him such an easy decision to hire when he applied for a graphic design position with Homegrown during its most initial, experimental phase.

We can vouch for the fact that this 21-year-old doesn’t reach out to grab the first slice of curb-side action that’s tossed his way. Even as he refused compartmentalisation, there was a candid quality to his work that let us know the kid was a diamond-in-the-rough.

And even as he refused to let anyone else polish him up, this beautiful piece of cover art he created for us let us know that he’s got a bright, shiny future.

VIII. Yohan Wadia

This week, we’re all about Yohan Wadia, one of the more quirky graphic designers we’ve brought on board for the same. We caught up with him to fill out our standard interview format.

IX. Dhwani Shah

Dhwani Shah is an insanely talented artist and illustrator and has a flair for creating vivid characters. A graduate of J.J. Institute of Applied, Art, Mumbai, and the prestigious National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, Dhwani’s work is simple, yet poignant.

X. Arushi Kathuria

Moving into double digits, we dug a little deeper into Arushi Kathuria‘s design philosophy this edition. With a focus on illustration, cartooning and digital art, Arushi’s art is loaded with colour, texture and dimension; we just had to get the full disclosure from her about the story behind it.