‘The edgy and very stylish Poonchh Collection hopes to make stray dogs not just hip but  a fashion statement too. Here is the  story.

Her first exhibition in Bangalore at the Leela Galleria in 2008, where she showcased vibrant desi kitsch on kettles, thalis, furniture and baltis, was a sellout, establishing Aarohi as an intelligent artist with a strong sense of the quirky. Since then, Aarohi – and her label, ArtByAarohi has continuously pushed the edge in brining vibrant, interesting and much talked about pieces to her clients and buyers.

But if there’s one thing the self-taught, multifaceted artist dislikes more than anything else is to be pigeonholed. The moment she began to be slotted in the media as a leading ‘kitsch artist’, Aarohi went back to her first love – painting on canvas – in a variety of media – pen and ink, charcoal, watercolours, acrylics, oils. She also began to dream of other avenues of art and design that ArtByAarohi could explore.

That was the genesis of what will culminate in her upcoming exhibition at 100 Ft Boutique and Restaurant, Indiranagar, on the 10, 11, and 12 February 2012. Bringing together two themes close to her heart – dogs and design – the Poonchh Collection is ArtByAarohi’s first foray into accessories. The bright, colourful collection – featuring totes, clutches, wallet-cum-key-pouches, laptop cases, iPad cases, iPhone cases, and cushion covers – is themed entirely on dogs. And not just any dogs, either. ArtByAarohi’s Poonchh Collection is exclusively about stray dogs.

Why stray dogs? “Stray dogs get a lot of bad press, which they do not deserve..” says Aarohi, “..after all, they are really community dogs, which protect our streets from intruders. There is a need to educate people at large about the positive role of strays, and this is one way for me as an artist to do so.”

Aarohi is also putting her money where her mouth is. 50% of the profits from the sales of every item in the Poonchh Collection will go towards the welfare of strays in perpetuity, particularly towards spaying and neutering them. “I believe that, over time, animal birth control and better garbage disposal in our cities will help in solving the problem of strays on our streets.”

The organisation that Aarohi has picked to receive the donation is The Voice of Stray Dogs (VoSD). “I have known and interacted with VoSD and its founder, Rakesh Shukla, for the last couple of years and I have seen up close their tireless efforts and deep commitment to the cause. I am confident that every penny that goes into the VoSD coffers will go towards the welfare of strays.”

Talking about the collection, Aarohi reveals that every piece in the Poonchh Collection has been hand-crafted using the best quality products, not mass-produced on a factory floor. As a matter of principle, she did not haggle with any of the craftsmen along the value chain. “Since this is for a good cause, I wanted the ‘vibe’ associated with each piece to be positive,” she smiles.

“I want people to carry the products around, and for the products to become a talking point,” says Aarohi. “Hopefully, that will set off a ripple effect, leading to increased awareness about strays, and translate eventually into better and more humanitarian care for the dogs.” It is for this reason that the Poonchh Collection is priced as reasonably as it is – almost every piece is available for under Rs 2500. The paintings are priced at Rs.5000.

The Poonchh Collection from ArtByAarohi will be showcased at 100Ft restaurant, Indiranagar on the 10, 11 and 12 February 2012.

For more information:

Aarohi Singh – ArtByAarohi – www.artbyaarohi.com ; Ph: +91 98801 98814, aarohi@artbyaarohi.com

Rakesh Shukla – The Voice of Stray Dogs – www.strays.in  Ph: +91 99450 41426, rakesh@strays.in