KOCHI: For Riya Cherada, every thought, every conversation is a road to creation. They take the form of little digital comics or doodles in her notebook. Subtle politics in everyday conversations form a big chunk of her oeuvre. Even her Instagram handle, Sardine Mother, addresses the inherent classism. “Chaala is considered a low-class fish. We even divide fishes, you know,” quips Riya.
It was her friends who started calling her chaalathalla (sardine mother) — a term used to represent someone loud or quirky — and she has defiantly used it for her website also. “When I said I’m a feminist, many feminists had a problem with it because I wear a hijab. According to them, if I choose to cover my head, I’m not a feminist,” she says. Her comics deal with these conundrums, the lack of inclusiveness in progressive spaces. Despite criticism from all ends, she didn’t stop being herself.
Her art talks about menstruation-related taboos, feminism, gender rights, and recent political developments. “In India, we don’t ask vegetarians if they eat vegan or vegetarian food. Instead, we touch upon their caste — upper or lower,” she says. Food is a recurring theme in her art. In her series on consent, she has used Subway — the fast-food chain — to throw light on the ‘need to ask’. Food also appears in the backdrop of her illustrations in repeating patterns — banana, pizza, or sardines!
Devil in detail
Riya uses acrylic, watercolour, pens, and sometimes gouache to make art, keeping her collection versatile. She thinks of it as a sort of FOMO — fear of missing out. “I want to explore every medium. I don’t want to limit myself to one. Yes, that may give you expertise, but that’s not what I am looking for,” Riya explains.
Her alternative Instagram page @chaala_varachath delivers a sarcastic take on daily conversations, parental and societal expectations, and mundane daily life. Even her fridge is featured in one of her comics.
An alumnus of the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru, Riya figured out by the end of her graduation period that she is not very keen on entering the ‘elite’ world of fashion. She pursued digital arts and illustrations instead and is currently working as a creative lead for a company in UAE.
Find Riya @sardine_mother, @chaala_varachath, and https://sardinemother.com/