This three-part series is a collaborative effort between Banyan Impact Fellows Bijoylakshmi, based in Odisha, covering part one; Akila, based in Tamil Nadu, covering part two; and Santanu, based in Chhattisgarh, covering part three. The series explores everyday art observed at our respective host locations and delves into the lesser-known stories behind them.
Dear Bijoy and Santanu,
Greetings from Sristi Village! I was so inspired by Bijoy writing to us about the vibrant houses she has observed around Odisha, and a reflection on the ways society can mirror art. I wanted to share my favorite artwork from my site: Sristi Village, Villupuram, Tamil Nadu.
Though I pass these paintings each day while walking into our school, washing my hands in the dining area, or wandering around campus, I have rarely paused to really consider the stories they tell. Thanks to you both, I got to learn more about the history of the paintings and what they represent.
These two photos capture the essence of Sristi Foundation: a commitment to communal life. A decade ago, Sristi’s basic housing infrastructure was built almost entirely by a group of volunteers. I recall my supervisor explaining how he is still in touch with all of these volunteers, and many would reach out years after their tenure at Sristi ended to reflect on the lessons they learned. It made me realize that this experience will also change me in ways that might not be immediately obvious.
The stick figure murals were completed by Murali Raman, who was volunteering his time at Sristi for one month. He documented the process of completing the paintings with Shekar Saran, a long-term volunteer who has spent nearly eight years at Sristi. He writes that it feels like he is leaving a part of himself behind through this work.
Today, the community continues to function like a cooperative, requiring that each person take responsibility for others. Obvious examples might include the women who cook and farmers who grow food for the entire community; less obvious are how even every painting I present here was contributed by a different artist over the years, how a student suggested where to build the playground, and how some older staff members named the community dogs. Even the intangible aspects of Sristi Village have been built by the thousands of people who have ventured into the heart of Tamil Nadu to visit this community.
Next, I wanted to share these door paintings. They capture real scenes, and people from Sristi, a preview of the community that awaits any guest. For example, the bottom of the door pictured to the left has a painting of the dairy farm head, Thatha (Grandpa), as everyone fondly calls him. Married at eleven, and still working at nearly ninety, he is one of the many local Konamangalam villagers that Sristi has hired since inception.
I’m reminded of poet and essayist Teju Cole’s characterization of doors as portals [1]. Drawing on both the term’s etymology and the history of architecture, Cole argues that doors are not just stationary structures but passageways to elevate others. He explains that the act of designing a door is inherently political since so many doors have been used to restrict, enclose, and exclude. Sristi is in many ways a door: a portal for young adults with intellectual disabilities to enter society, training their capacities to meet their aspirations. It is also a portal for all of us to experience life alongside them, allowing our biases to meet their realities. Thus, it is fitting that every door is decorated, a microcosm of the inclusive universe that lies behind it.
Finally, I want to share these two scenes from the dining hall. Since Sristi is situated on a farm, animals are everywhere. These two paintings speak not only to their omnipresence, but their importance. Sristi’s villagers discovered long ago what evidence-based medical research is recently uncovering: animals can reduce anxiety, and address various psychomotor challenges among people with intellectual disabilities [2, 3]. The first painting (left) is imaginative and transgress boundaries found in the natural world, allowing the ocean to collide with the sky. They second (right) is intricate, detailing ornamentation on a cow to symbolize Sristi’s annual flagship celebration of harvest, or Pongal. You can see the original sketch for this painting of the cow here. Pongal and these paintings remind me that great joy and beauty exist in every community and that space for art and leisure are just as necessary as the fight for basic health and livelihoods.
The paintings at Sristi help pare a complex mission into digestible symbols; depict scenes that are portals into the community; and even present playful, imaginative scenes of the natural world that helps soothe, heal, and build the community here.
I’m so glad you both encouraged me to reflect on art again: it has made me notice so many small details about the campus. I am very excited to read what Santanu has to share about his time in the village.
Warmly,
Akila Muthukumar
Citations
[1] Cole, Teju. “Through the Door” Harvard Graduate School of Design Class Day. 31 May. 2019, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Accessed 1 March 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTIaxEgQ9kM
[2] O’Haire ME, McKenzie SJ, Beck AM, Slaughter V. Animals may act as social buffers: Skin conductance arousal in children with autism spectrum disorder in a social context. Dev Psychobiol. 2015 Jul;57(5):584-95. doi: 10.1002/dev.21310. Epub 2015 Apr 27. PMID: 25913902; PMCID: PMC8447904.
[3] Wolan-Nieroda A, Dudziak J, Drużbicki M, Pniak B, Guzik A. Effect of Dog-Assisted Therapy on Psychomotor Development of Children with Intellectual Disability. Children (Basel). 2020 Dec 29;8(1):13. doi: 10.3390/children8010013. PMID: 33383714; PMCID: PMC7824354.
