Exhibitions

IGNITED DANCE (this is the artworks name)
Recycled materials mounted to board

Bharatanatyam, a mesmerising dance form originating from South India dating back to 300 BCE, captivates spectators with its graceful movements and expressive storytelling. Through its sculptural postures and emotive expressions, Bharatanatyam weaves a tapestry of emotions into the fabric of dance. Inspired by this enchanting art, the textile piece draws upon the vibrant colours and textures, igniting a palette that mirrors the fiery passion of the dance itself.

This project was initiated by Lily-Mai Davies, a sales coordinator at Kvadrat, who recognized the harmful reality of industrial waste in the textile industry during her time there. Kvadrat is a Danish textile company that produces and supplies textiles and textile-related products to architects, designers and private consumers in Europe and worldwide. To reclaim these discarded materials, she proposed giving them new life through art, commissioning me and my fellow HRC students to reimagine the fragmented pieces into a cohesive artwork.

This piece is adorned with Kvadrat fabric throughout, serving as the backdrop. The sizable carpet tiles establish a sense of grounding with their cool tones. The figures themselves are meticulously constructed using various shades of Kvadrat upholstery material, resulting in a captivating mosaic of intricate detailing. The richness of colour and the lustrous quality of the fabric harmoniously merge, giving rise to a stunning composition.

PASSADDHI MUDRA a tranquil gesture, 2023
Acrylic and screen print on fabric, 216 x 136cm

DEVA, 2023
Acrylic on wood, 60 x 60 cm

SARI, 2023
Screen printed sari draped on mannequin

UAL Origins Creative is an annual exhibition that brings together student work from across the UAL subject areas of Art and Design, Fashion Business and Retail, Creative Media, Music Performance and Production, Performing Arts, Entry Level 3 in Art and Design and Performing Arts, Professional Diplomas, and the Extended Project Qualification. In which Hiten exhibited three works.

“Passaddhi Mudra’, Sanskrit for a tranquil gesture, is a captivating triptych showcasing alluring mudras adorned with scintillating bangles, seemingly dancing in shimmering light. Mudras, symbolic gestures integral to Hindu rituals and dance, possess the ability to align a profound connection between mind and body, enhancing our vitality. Hiten composes a harmonious synergy among these mudras, grounding the viewer in a serene moment of tranquillity in its presence. Inspired by traditional Jaipur Indian block printing of the 18th century, they craft their own unique repetitive pattern design, embellishing the canvas with an enchanting print. This captivating pattern transforms the painting into an entrancing tapestry, interweaving intricate details, divine essence, and sheer beauty.

Moreover, the allure of this captivating pattern transcends the boundaries of the canvas, flowing onto a meticulously hand-printed sari. With a history dating back thousands of years, the sari stands as one of the oldest known unstitched garments in existence. When elegantly draped on a figure, the once-flat fabric metamorphoses into a dynamic embodiment of living shapes, form, and space. Drawing inspiration from the resplendent 16th-century Mughal miniatures, ‘Deva’, Sanskrit for divinity, is a painting that encapsulates the essence of Bharatanatyam dancers seamlessly merging, their mesmerising movements blending into a body of enchantment, encased in a brocade cloth printed border.

Hiten’s intention was to cultivate an atmosphere of meditation and reflection, extending a heartfelt invitation to immerse themselves in the splendours of Indian art. A journey, embracing the rich heritage and marvelling at the wonders it unveils.

(listing includes images titled ‘UAL ORIGINS’)