My work has always drawn me to the intricate details of narratives that exist within the lives of people I see everyday. Over the past few years, my interest in contemporary urban street culture has led me to watch, observe and document the lives and work of many kinds of practitioners of pre-modern, unorganized street crafts. My daily interactions with such street practitioners has resulted in work that has allowed me to weave the stories of Mumbai’s bone-setters, kaan saaf wallahs, corn removers and street-side hajjams into narratives of contemporary urban street culture.

During my time at Khoj, I tried to explore similar themes in Shadipur Depot, which is home to an assortment of street artists and performers. During my residency here, I interacted with a slew of Shadipur’s singers, puppeteers and magicians, spending my time documenting their work, their lives and their home. The work that I have developed at Khoj has resulted in a translation of my experiences in Shadipur on to a wall in my studio, which plays the role of a page in my visual diary. Matchboxes, as faded bits of memories, help translate the experiences through my interactions with the people of Khirki Village.