Kochar, Sandhya

Biography

Diwali Kolam

Throughout India, women create kolams / rangoli — intricate drawings made at the thresholds of houses on a daily basis. Kolam is an art form that precedes sculpture and painting. Like cave paintings these drawings are produced from memory and are essentially free handed. They differ from cave paintings as they use the ground, instead of the wall, as the picture plane to be drawn upon. The drawing first operates upon a field of points (grid) that serves as a datum and is contained within a overall loose figure. The line is drawn, next, weaving in and out of the grid to make complex geometric patterns. But the interesting part is that the line is a continuous one that is both thin and thick. The drawing includes techniques such as shading, fills, line weights, line types, scale and is made from easily available materials. Traditionally made out of rice powder, the drawing is temporary unlike the cave painting. It engages with the everyday.

The drawing at Otterbein University deviates by rethinking the issues of geometry and form through precision. The drawing emphasizes the role of architectural representation in framing and communicating complex conditions of culture and architecture through contemporary methods of production. The drawing attempts to become precise about imprecise things by engaging with current methods and tools of production that include templates and drafting tools. The drawing also exists in multiple mediums: in the computer, as a template, as a full-scale drawing, a photograph and videos.

Drawing