SUMMARY
“Wholeness; A Magical journey” is an on-going year long 12-part series that focuses on a single dominant color each month which is based on my overall sentiment of the month as an artist. The sentiment is based on events, emotions and causes that fuel my creative expression. By piecing together and breaking apart my bicultural identity, the concept uses ritual, styling and symbolism to convey the story.
On a personal level this project also serves as a resource to document my journey with plant-medicine since August 2022. By way of journaling, creative writing, meditation, storytelling, collaboration & community to name a few, this series is a deeper dive inspired by some of my key insights.
GOAL
Using each month as a springboard for creative expression, my goal is to deconstruct the idea and expectation around wholeness. By playing with the dichotomy of two cultures my goal is to spark conversation and hold space for folks who feel they are trying to piece together and make whole…fragments of their own.
TAKEAWAY
Having grown half my life in India and half in the United States, I’ve struggled with the piece around “Who Am I”. It’s unfortunate that for so many folks, we’ve let the world, people and our environments dictate the most intimate (yet essential) stories of our lives.
And yet there are so many others who find themselves at the threshold of juggling two identities; socially and/or culturally.
I’m hoping the audience takes away an insight into how identity, queerness and social conditioning impact the trajectory of folks; especially from minority and under-represented diasporas. I’m hoping that we can dig deeper through the layers (and roadblocks) of our identities and come to a place of realization that we are all part of much larger identity.
MONTH 01
My sentiment this past month for January was “Healing” and the color that showed up was “White”. Because of my South Asian heritage, I gravitated towards white because it embodies the essence of ceremony. White also felt like the natural color choice to build upon for the rest of the year; pacing slowly into the layers of storytelling; the blank canvas.
In many cultures, white is the color of peace and purity but white also shows the absence of colors, symbolizing a detachment from worldly pleasures. In Hinduism, white is also a color of mourning, a color that pays homage to loss and so in this story, white is also a dedication to “him”; my Dad…in spirit.
The Ship, which is a family heirloom is a memorabilia metaphor for the weight we carry; our family name. And by introducing it into the space, I’m honoring and releasing the expectation around my own identity.
The Mogra flowers are native to the Indian subcontinent and southeast Asia, often used for decoration, meditation and worship. By channeling the strength of these flowers, I’m reclaiming my own divinity; a rite of passage that I feel is an important one.
CONCEPT & DIRECTION / SAUNAK SHAH
STYLING / NATHAN SWEET
HMUA / MAY OO
DP / KARAN SHARMA
EDITOR (VIDEO) / NISHANT MUKESH
PHOTOGRAPHERS
TONY OLIVER & ANUJ GOYAL
STUDIO: STUDIO CASA, BROOKYN
MONTH 01 - INSIGHTS
MONTH 02
My overall sentiment for February was “Inner Growth” and the color that showed up was “Grey”. Just like winter makes nature hibernate, the grey environment on the outside makes way for a sense of consciousness to look for the light within. I’ve been on a bit of a journey myself and for me it really meant staying still and listening to the voice within.
February was a month of prayer and fasting in many South Asian Hindu and Western Christian denominations. Ash Wednesday and Maha Shivratri both took place this past month. Ash happens to be the common thread between the two. The ultimate metaphor that reminds us through faith that “We are dust, and to dust we shall return.
I was inspired by the form of Ardha-nar-Eshvara which translates to the half-female Lord. It is believed that the Lord is Shiva and the female energy is Parvati or Shakti. The form signifies “totality that lies beyond duality”, “bi-unity of male and female in God" and "the bisexuality and therefore the non-duality” of the Supreme Being.
Vibhuti or the holy Ash signifies glory and the Tilak on the third eye invokes the divine energy. By performing specific Mudras and gestures, the idea extends to the perception beyond ordinary sight.
CONCEPT & DIRECTION / SAUNAK SHAH
STYLING / NIKITA SHAH
HMUA / SANJANA BHANDARI
DP / SWAPNIL JUNJARE
EDITOR (VIDEO) / NISHANT MUKESH
PHOTOGRAPHERS
JENNA ANDERSON & DILPREET SHAH
STUDIO: STUDIO CASA, BROOKYN
MONTH 02 - INSIGHTS
MONTH 03
My overall sentiment for March was “Outer Growth” and the color that showed up was “Yellow”. Holi; the Hindu festival of colors and the Spring Equinox both took place in March. It’s crazy to think how much this seasonal shift affects our overall state of mind. It’s a time of rebirth and renewal and creativity. Spring has a way of blossoming the inside on the outside.
March was the month of Holi; the Hindu festival of colors and the Spring Equinox. Holi signifies the triumph of good over evil and the Spring Equinox represents the solar festival and balance. Spring has a way of blossoming the inside on the outside. And in this one, it’s an explosion of yellow!
One of the principle deities worshipped during Holi is Lord Krishna who is termed as “Lord” but local folk narratives signify gender fluidity. He bends like a dancer, has a braid and a nose ring; some say to connect with Radha, his consort. These stories have so many positive messages of strength, acceptance and masculinity.
The ritual of tying a bouquet, the 108 repetitions and the cotton thread all have a tighter layer of significance. The modern day takeaway is to strengthen the relationship we have with ourselves and our community. A single thread may be weak but when wound over and over, it’s not one to easily break.
CONCEPT & DIRECTION / SAUNAK SHAH
STYLING / NIKITA SHAH
MUA / RANDY ROSENTHAL
DP / SWAPNIL JUNJARE
EDITOR (VIDEO) / NISHANT MUKESH
PHOTOGRAPHERS
SHRAVYA KAG & MAZ V-TALUKDAR
FLOWERS / FANCY FLORIST INC.
WARDROBE (SAREE) / SUNAINA RAO
STUDIO: STUDIO CASA, BROOKYN
MONTH 03 - INSIGHTS
MONTH 04
My overall sentiment for April was about “Nature” and the color that showed up was “Brown”. Nature vs Nurture is the root of this exploration. Our bodies and the ground beneath are daily reminders of who we are and where we come from...despite what we wear or where we live or what direction we choose to go. April was the month to celebrate Earth Day. It also my Birthday month…and yet, it felt more like a wake up call. A time to resow and reclaim.
The root of the exploration for April was Nature vs Nurture. Our bodies and the ground beneath are daily reminders of who we are and where we come from...despite what we wear or where we live or what direction we choose to go.
By drawing inspiration from Jaipur’s block printing techniques, pagan rituals and plant medicine; the concept is about journeying back to connect with the child within.
April was the month to celebrate Earth Day. We also planned this shoot on my Birthday (April 29th)…and yet, it felt more like a wake up call. A time to resow and reclaim.
The act of ritual is helping break the exterior; the nurturing and conditioning to emerge (like the Lotus) untouched from all the shit the world has thrown at us. It’s helping see the divinity in one’s own skin.
CONCEPT & DIRECTION / SAUNAK SHAH
STYLING / NIKITA SHAH
HMUA / TONI ROY
DP / KARAN SHARMA
EDITOR (VIDEO) / NISHANT MUKESH
PHOTOGRAPHERS
FELIPE M. & PHANI
WARDROBE
SHORTS / FANG
JACKET & SHORTS / AMAZON
STUDIO: STUDIO CASA, BROOKYN
MONTH 04 - INSIGHTS
MONTH 05
My overall sentiment for May was about “Memory (यादें)” and the color that showed up was Green. May was a month of remembrance. It was my Dad’s Birthday month (bless his soul). It was also a month to celebrate Mother’s Day. By channeling nature that represents the divine mother energy, the concept is a tribute to the Hero’s story; my Dad’s evergreen memory.
CONCEPT & DIRECTION / SAUNAK SHAH
STYLING / SELF-STYLED
HMUA / JOHANA MONTOYA
DP / SWAPNIL JUNJARE
EDITOR (VIDEO) / NISHANT MUKESH
PHOTOGRAPHERS
ASHLEY JACKYLYN & SHARMEEN C.
ASSISTANTS / EDWARD NOUEL & TONY OLIVAS
ARTIST (HAND LETTERING) / SUEDE
NATURE / FANCY FLORIST INC.
JEWELRY / REEMAT DESIGNS
STUDIO / GRAYSCALE STUDIOS
MONTH 05 - INSIGHTS
MONTH 06
June was the month of connecting with thy sense of self. It was Pride Month and the theme that showed up was “Desire”. The month felt like connecting with the archetype; a messenger of Desire. Inspired by folklore and mythology; Cupid, KamaDeva and the collective unconscious, the concept takes a modern day approach to channeling Desire/Lust through the color Purple.
CONCEPT & DIRECTION / SAUNAK SHAH
STYLING / KAREEM KHUBCHANDANI
MUA / RANDY ROSENTHAL
DP / MARK CLAUDIO
EDITOR (VIDEO) / NISHANT MUKESH
PHOTOGRAPHERS
KADE ALPERS & PIP
ASSISTANTS / AMRITÉ, ARIANA SHAH, KAMANI SUTRA & TONY OLIVAS
BACKDROP / SAVAGE UNIVERSAL
FLOWERS / FANCY FLORIST INC.
JEWELRY / REEMAT DESIGNS
STUDIO / STUDIO CASA
MONTH 06 - INSIGHTS
MONTH 07
My overall sentiment for July was about “Fire” and the color that showed up was Orange. July was a hot one! Record high temperatures outside but also the fire within...bringing out the primate that’s tip-toeing light and shadows. July was inspired by that light and ancient rituals; a nod to Agni (God of Fire), Surya (The Sun God) & Theyyam rituals. The circle, the tree of life and the triangle symbolize the sense of self, the root of it all (family/community) and the symbol of fire.
CONCEPT & DIRECTION / SAUNAK SHAH
STYLING / NIKITA SHAH
HMUA / TONI ROY
DP / SWAPNIL JUNJARE
EDITOR (VIDEO) / NISHANT MUKESH
PHOTOGRAPHERS
KARSTON TANNIS & EDWARD NOUEL
ASSISTANTS / PHANI, STEPH & TONY OLIVAS
STUDIO / GRAYSCALE STUDIOS
MONTH 07 - INSIGHTS
MONTH 08
My overall sentiment for August was “Water” and the color that showed up was Blue. After being burnt from the heat in July, August felt like cooling off; like taking a cold shower and re-emerging as some(thing) new; a lotus, a reincarnation, a deity. Water is the metaphor to satiate the desire within us. The concept is a spin from a classic portrait by Raja Ravi Varma titled “Padmini” from the nymph series. The application of blue is an exploration from classical and modern day references; Krishna, Shudras, the Virgin Mary to name a few.
CONCEPT & DIRECTION / SAUNAK SHAH
STYLING / RUAFZA
HMUA / TONI ROY
DP / SWAPNIL JUNJARE
EDITOR (VIDEO) / NISHANT MUKESH
PHOTOGRAPHERS
SAWANI CHAUDHARY & SUKHMANI KAUR
ASSISTANTS / DEVANSHI, THE KULFI JAAN & EDWARD NOUEL
FLOWERS / FANCY FLORIST INC.
JEWELRY / REEMAT DESIGNS
STUDIO / GRAYSCALE STUDIOS
MONTH 09
My overall sentiment for September was about “Dreams” and the color that showed up was Pink. Channeling cosmic queer masculinity, the exploration aims to “awaken” and challenge the stature of pink. September felt like a dream; an inspiration from mother figures, the softness of masculinity, the innocence of childhood, the first fantasy, the far away island, the untold secret, the box of oddities, the scent of a rose, the circus of pleasure, the bubble gun, the birthday balloons, the crown of plenty, the fallen angel, the past and the present, the first love.
STYLING / KULFI JAAN
ASSISTANT STYLING / CYNTHIA JELKE
PHOTOGRAPHERS
MANDAR PARAB & DEVANSHI
HMUA / RANDY ROSENTHAL
DP / MAZ V-TALUKDAR
Editor (VIDEO) / NISHANT MUKESH
ASSISTANTS
JENNIFER O'BRIEN, TONY OLIVAS, MUSKAAN ZAIDI & MEENA SHAH
JEWELRY / MAALICIOUS JEWELRY
FLOWERS / FANCY FLORIST INC.
STUDIO / STUDIO CASA
TEAM / MONTH 01-10
Humans that have been part of the series so far.
COLLABORATORS
MONTHS 11 & 12 (INDIA)
CALL FOR COLLABORATORS
Join me on the last 2 months in INDIA. I’m looking for creatives, collaborators & partners to support 1 (or multiple) months of this project. Fill the form below if you’d like to be part of either of the remaining months.
Thank you!
“There are forces that are making us second guess ourselves but there are also higher forces that are helping us see the divinity within us…amidst the chaos. I think we are all on the threshold of something magical and yet to untap this sometimes we need to revisit our past, ground our core, recalibrate our egos, question the norms and show compassion so we can serve up the true nature of our spirit; untainted from everything the world has thrown at us”.
– Saunak Shah