What are the young people of India doing in today’s times?
People often ask me if I am an artist or a graphic designer or a logo designer?
A children’s book illustrator and even more common – what exactly do I do?! Crazy, isn’t it?
Reshal Shah’s In Out Within
I am a designer and an artist. I don’t see them differently – both are a way of life– they co-exist. When I am designing, there is a user-centric approach towards creating experiences, while when creating art, I work towards giving form to my experiences. Both communicate; both involve experiencing, and both are as emotional.
From practicing as an advertising and branding professional to stepping into the field of user experience design, it has been a lot of learning and exploration. But something that has always been a constant exploration is visual arts – visiting art galleries, studying art and aesthetics, creating visual imagery– these have been an essential part of my life since childhood. And all that I have absorbed of graphic design, research, semantics, and story-telling are reflected in the visual experiments.
One such personal/academic project for me is, the project titled ‘Young India’.
This project began with a curious question ‘What are the young people of India doing in today’s times? Have you ever imagined how do people like social workers or teachers, physiotherapists, household workers, designers, sculptors or poets choose their professions? Why do they do what they do?! Their beliefs, goals, challenges?
These questions about the youth shaped the journey of this project in itself, and thus the title: ‘Young India’.
I started meeting young people around, to know about them, wanting to hear what they had to share and it was absolutely wonderful to get to know each of them so closely. This was the most beautiful and enriching experience, to hear people talk with pride about their work and how unique their journeys had been. After such an overwhelming experience, I felt too small to translate these into any other material. There were a few learning’s I had as my takeaway:
People who stick to their dreams and beliefs might not find rewards now, but great satisfaction and rewards in future. These people are aware of the uncertainties that come in, and are not just fooling themselves. There are special moments and happenings in life that give it an interesting shape or become turning points in their lives. This is when they find their paths and move towards them with conviction.
– This is seen in Young India ‘now, and then’
And the real challenge was, translating these ideas, thoughts into art form. The simple question that was now in front of me was, “whom would I talk to?”
Thus, I decided to address the children since, they would be ‘Young Indians’ soon. The understanding and insights derived from these conversations are communicated through a fictional story that takes the shape of an illustrated book, ‘In Out Within’.
‘In Out Within’ is an attempt to story writing – the story of ‘Jushti’, a chameleon who juggles the uncertainties of life and overcomes the fears and discomforts to find her joy for colours. It talks about how we fear being different and often get caught in the life’s race leaving behind what we love and enjoy the most.
This project has been a journey in itself, with an opportunity to meet a few of the young minds of today.
This book is dedicated to all of these who dare to dance with discomfort, stick to their beliefs and to their dreams. Indeed, they are the ones who taste contentment and pure bliss.
Lots more to follow soon!
Reshal
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