Tracy Soreng

Belonging from the ‘Kharia’ indigenous community in India, and the privileged second generation who has lived in city, it has become important for me to revive our traditional tribal clothing and create an identity for the community through fashion. Through this project I want to highlight the idea as Indian tribal fashion. This fashion is for people across the globe who are ready to explore the culture of the tribes of India.

My work focuses on finding an identity, through methods of visual narrative, nostalgia, deconstruction, discovering new meanings for a traditional craft and through digital manipulation of photographs.

‘oʔŏ’meaning ‘Home’ in Kharia language, is a collection of textiles inspired by the traditional clothing of the community, their lifestyle and surroundings of the village. An amalgamation of traditional motifs and drawings with influence of Bauhaus, I have created a range of contemporary prints using methods of ‘hand drawn – digital – hand work’.

My inclination towards working with traditional textiles and the method of drawing as a tool has been a constant process.