"Against the Grain" is more than an art exhibition—it's a call to action. This 8-month-long Indo-French project, curated by Vikas Garg  and Nilanjan Chakravarty brings together artists, communities, and environmentalists to explore the profound impacts of climate change on our landscapes, lifestyles, and daily choices.

Through a carefully curated selection of art installations, talks, and workshops, the project invites individuals, families, and communities to examine the relationship between climate change and their everyday lives.

 

Local, national and international artists have come together to offer fresh perspectives, using innovative and sustainable mediums such as recycled materials and Air-Ink, made from air pollution, to craft their stories.

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Why Are We Doing This?

 

Against the Grain is rooted in the belief that true, lasting environmental change comes from a collective, community-driven effort. By engaging young learners, local communities, and artists, we aim to spark meaningful conversations about sustainability, waste management, and pollution. Through this comprehensive, multi-dimensional approach, the project seeks to create a ripple effect, where participants not only understand the importance of environmental stewardship but actively contribute to finding solutions that will have a lasting impact.

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Our Aim​​

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Against the Grain merges art with sustainability to address climate change and its direct connection to our daily lives. By engaging individuals, communities, and underserved populations, we foster environmental awareness and practical solutions. Through workshops, artist-led initiatives, and grassroots programs like the Village Adoption Programme, we empower communities with sustainable tools and economic opportunities. This project bridges global environmental challenges with local actions, fostering collaboration and creativity among artists, environmentalists, and citizens. Ultimately, we aim to create a replicable model for holistic environmental and social development, inspiring real, lasting change for a sustainable future.​

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Project Components

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The Project comprises four key components, each carefully designed to address different aspects of the environmental crisis while involving a wide range of participants in the process.

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Engaging Young Learners

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In collaboration with Joy of Drama, we will engage with young school students to work on pollution-related problems, empowering them to become part of the solution. This component employs process drama and design thinking principles to encourage students to think creatively and critically about environmental challenges. By utilizing these approaches, the students will develop tangible prototypes—innovative solutions to address pollution. These solutions are then documented and presented as part of the broader project, showcasing how children can contribute novel ideas that have the potential to inspire change. Through this process, we aim to ignite curiosity in young minds and show them that their ideas can drive real-world impact.

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Village Adoption Programme

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The Village Adoption Programme will be done in collaboration with the Chintan-Environmental Research and Action Group, and the Usha Kiran Study Center will focus on local communities, in Shadhra Village in Noida Sector 52, where we will implement a series of initiatives aimed at environmental awareness and action. These include workshops on recycling, upcycling, and waste segregation, as well as cleanliness drives in collaboration with the local community and village leaders. This component connects the project with grassroots efforts, encouraging sustainable practices at the local level and empowering communities to take ownership of their environment.

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Art Exhibition​

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We will be hosting two prestigious art exhibitions—one at the India Habitat Centre and the other at Alliance Française de Delhi. These exhibitions will showcase the work of national, local, and international artists who are using art as a powerful medium to voice their concerns about the environment. Through these exhibitions, we aim to create a platform where art and activism intersect, shedding light on critical environmental issues while celebrating the creativity that drives change.

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Artist Residency

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As a precursor to the main exhibition, we will conduct an artist residency that brings together young students from the Ushakiran Study Center and Joy of Drama. These students will be tasked with creating tangible solutions to environmental problems using design thinking and process drama. The solutions they created—3D installations—were then presented to participating artists who worked collaboratively to refine and transform these ideas into more sophisticated models. These final pieces will be designed to tackle real-world environmental challenges, proving that even initial, seemingly unconventional ideas can be developed and implemented by more mature minds for meaningful impact. This residency emphasizes the importance of mentorship, as young, innovative ideas are nurtured and reworked to make a difference.

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Expected Outcome

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We envision Against the Grain as a model of how art, innovation, and community can come together to inspire real-world solutions. The final outcome of the project will be:

• Innovative prototypes created by young learners, addressing pollution and environmental issues.

• Stronger, more sustainable communities that actively engage in recycling, upcycling, and waste segregation.

• Artistic installations and exhibitions that spark dialogue on environmental issues, showcasing how art can be a powerful tool for activism and change.

• Ultimately, Against the Grain seeks to demonstrate that when we combine creativity, community involvement, and sustainable practices, we can build a more sustainable and conscious world—one action at a time.