MELA, 2015, necklace, found keychains, photo: Krystof Kriz
A keychain is a small accessory used for personalising and identifying keys to spaces we call our own. These keychains were collected from a popular ‘craft’ fair in India, which is both a temporary event for ‘folk’ entertainment as well as discovering unique handcrafted objects, artworks and textiles from all over the country. Most of the keychains are industrially produced, some locally and some imported from China. One has been handcrafted. To me, the necklace is a bizarre portrait of the aspirations (both material and spiritual) of Indian people.