Aditi Dubey

Interview with Aditi Dubey —

1. Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Aditi Dubey, and I am a art/social entrepreneur. I run the company Ruas where we work with traditional women artisans to recognize them as artists with their unique skills and help preserve their historic craft forms. All our products are hand embroidered  by artisans from Kutch, India. We are currently working closely with over 25 women and helping in preserving Suf, Rabari, Jat and Ahir, all types of Kutch Embroideries.

Gomtiben and her neighbour
Showing a design they hand embroidered, in Kutch.

2. Why art?
Being an introverted child, I was very quiet in school. Reading was my escape from reality. Since, I lived in many small towns of India I got to see the local art and craft of different places. This sparked my interest in art even more and my curiosity has only grown more.

3. What is your earliest memory of wanting to be an artist?
I was very passionate about helping women from childhood and probably by the time I was 9 years old I knew I wanted to use art to help them.

Make-up pouch

4. What are your favorite subject(s) and media(s)?
I love documenting through photographs and also writing my experiences as a creative entrepreneur.

Aditi Dubey and Gomtiben

Gomtiben works with Ruas and is a part of the Ahir community of artisans. Gomtiben is always smiling and curious in nature. She cannot speak in Hindi but that doesn’t stop her from speaking to me. We communicate through my broken Gujrati.

5. How do you work and approach your subject?
At Ruas, we believe in the transformative power of co-design. At first, I design a new product then approach an artisan to conceptualize and design the embroidery that would be featured on it. The process is long but fun and the results always surprise us.

Camera Strap

6. What are your favorite art work(s), artist(s)?
Gerhard Richter is my favorite as I also love painting on photographs.

7. What are the best responses you have had to your work?
The best response is when someone understands and appreciates the work that went behind creating a Ruas product.

Guitar Straps

8. What do you like about your work?
I love that we get to create something that is new and hasn’t been tried before. My work is an extension of who I am and I am grateful to have that opportunity.

9. What advice would you give to other artists?
Stay true to who you are . There are several pressures an artist has to go through but compromising on who you are never helps. I think it is also important for artists to help and support each other for the industry to fully realize the capacity it has for creating change.

Choker

10. Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
I hope to be able to create a world where artisans and artists are respected, supported and loved a lot more for their talents.

Aditi Dubey

LINKS —

 
Website: www.ruas.in
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ruasindia/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruasindia/?hl=en