If visual artist Princess Pea turned heads at last year's Art Fair with her 'Pea head' appearance, she has more in store this year in the form of limited edition toy 'Fall and Rise'. The artist, who maintains her alter-ego persona of 'Princess Pea' in public, will launch a series of limited edition sculptures made of wood, for the first time at the India Art Fair Design Store scheduled for January 28- 31, 2016.
'Fall and Rise' is a figural representation of Princess Pea's body type who, when pushed from underneath, collapses and then bounces back when released to stand upright again - embodying the resilience of the Indian girlchild, whose rights and values Princess Pea champions. The sculptures are also a manifestation of the discrimination against female children.
The artwork also marks the first extension of the artist's renowned trademark character, Princess Pea, which has in itself become an iconic image, symbolic of the values and rights of the 'girl child' in India and the issues surrounding women's identity in modern society.
By producing these limited edition toys, which can be available worldwide, Princess Pea is not only creating aesthetically pleasing and accessible small scale sculptures, but is furthering her project aimed to reach a wider audience.
In a further continuation of Princess Pea's role as a figurehead to inspire and empower, the creation of the toy serves not only to embody the values of the artist, but also to revive and sustain the dying Indian craft of woodturning.
Each piece is conceptualized and made with great attention to detail by award winning craftsmen in the country, said a statement from the artist. The toys are made using local resources in the village of Etikoppaka in Andhra Pradesh where more than 200 artisan families are engaged in toymaking.
