Modern Punjabi
as a costume was stitched from pure silk found in Mumbai, India. However, the idea for the costume piece came about through a discussion and the amalgamation of ideas. Through thinking about Nikhil Chopras background of being a ‘punjabi’, his previous performances and portrayals of princely character ‘Yog Raj Chitrakar’ and an exhibition displaying jewels from the heritage of India at a museum in France.
Our conversation went such that the artist wanted me to create a princely costume using Indian embroidery rich inheritance while I felt the need to portray imitational regal clothing that had become mass consumption of clothing in India. Fake stick on pearls were used along with many other fake plastic pearls bought to be strewn around the space for the artist’s live performance La Perle Noire at the GB Agency, Paris.