02 / After Party

When the guests leave, the woman of the house begins to relax

When the guests have left, the food has been put away, the dirty dishes washed, the glasses emptied, the bar cleaned up, the lights switched off, and the door locked, the woman of the house begins to relax.

Her refined elegance falls like a pile of silk on the floor. Her posture crumbles as she plonks herself on the sofa. She relaxes her shoulders, massages her aching feet, pours herself a glass of wine, and begins her after-party. You are not allowed into this private world of hers - where she dances, preens, removes her makeup and enjoys the quiet of her house.

This is her reward.

For years, I have seen the women in my house prepare for a party. Every need is addressed, each guest taken care of. They sparkle and shine, swishing in their silks, moving gracefully from one to the other, ensuring they are well looked after.

There was no one to look after their needs. No one to lend a helping hand. They cooked and cleaned up. Decorated and removed. Supervised and directed the entire show.

This is an ode to them, their tirelessness, their energy and their love.

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Naqab (Mask) is a photographic exploration through a series of portraits of the many masks I wear as an Indian woman. It is my attempt to unravel, uncover, and discover my deep-seated conditioning, biases, strengths and weaknesses, one portrait at a time.

The project will span a year, with one portrait every week.

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