From a distance, it looks like a flock of mosaic swallows — look up close, you see intricately woven emotions and expressions, each different from another, says Dia Mehhta Bhupal, artist and the heiress of one of the largest conglomerates in the country GVK. Dia has put together the largest hand-stitched community quilt in Asia, with over 15,000 unique expressions on pieces of a quilt that is displayed across 22,000 sqft.
The presentation titled, Together We Fly, wraps around the entire 86-ft-high and 264-ft-long edifice of the Zydus headquarters in Ahmedabad. “The installation has thousands of individual pieces of art, poetry, calligraphy, photographs, handwritten notes on pieces of fabric, reflecting the spirit of the times from the beginning of the pandemic through the second wave — it is both reminiscing of the past and hopeful of the times to come. The artworks were on themes of home, safety, nature, the environments in which we exist, and the pandemic,” Dia tells CE.
“Together We Fly has been inspired by birds which symbolise collaboration, teamwork, unity, protection, strength and above all — freedom. Along with the metaphor of the birds, I chose a blue sky to represent the unity we showed towards a larger purpose and vision for the future, despite the difference in our circumstances or geographies. As an artist, I intend to create a space for healing that depicts hope, strength, inspiration and resilience,” says Dia, who had put together the project along with Neha Modi, the co-founder of The Corona Quilt Project.
Dia shares that working with diverse submissions, ranging from children’s drawings to first-hand representations from healthcare workers and medical professionals, was truly humbling. “These expressions signify the impact of our pandemic experiences not only changing the present, but allowing us to reimagine the future,” she adds.
In June 2020, Neha started the project as an organic outreach programme, wherein communities contributed 15x15-inch fabric squares with expressions. The programme reached momentum and they have already put together five quilt projects in Mumbai. The Zydus project is the sixth and the biggest so far. “We have taken up a new project in Goa which is under progress,” informs Dia.
The project in Ahemdabad received over 27,000 squares of fabric from corporates such as the Zydus Community, schools, NGOs, foundations, prominent persons, individuals and others.