I am a traveller, with my car as my office and my two feet as my means of transport. Every single day, I journey from one corner of Mumbai to another, crossing numerous roads, streets, lanes, by-lanes, malls, stores, shops, events, exhibitions, pop-ups, and more to source and plan for the work I do. I call myself a traveller because I encounter countless faces, interact with them, learn about their joys and sorrows, and experience the world through their eyes – Stop. Share. Shop.

Recently, I’ve come across zines and booklets that are all about straightforward, sharp, and somewhat thought-provoking one-liners, messages, and dialogues.

“Everyone is an artist,” he says. “There are no dirty words, only dirty minds,” he adds.

“Stop making sense,” he says. “Let’s be awkward together,” he adds.

“Orgasms are very nice, but revolutions are better,” he says. “Drop out!” he adds…

These are a few lines, or rather titles, from the booklets that first caught my eye. I won’t lie – they looked pretty cool and clean, type-printed on pamphlet paper, single-lined, bound together, and very reasonably priced – so I bought them all! (At least, all the ones on display.) Easy to read and sometimes re-read, each line and every page intrigued me, making them more than just a weekend flip-through but impactful messages written in the simplest way possible.

the purpose is just to be... and in doing so
turn on everybody who can be turned on and 
turn off everybody else...

His books, he says, aim to remove a person’s negativity and show readers that there is always a good side to every bad thing that happens. He is also synonymous with BombayUnderground -– a group dedicated to art, expression, and creative social exchange, celebrating the undocumented, the underground, the lost, and the forgotten. Very rightly so, he is also our inspiration for the week:  Himanshu S

me no good just persistent

I find him inspiring because there are few in this country who can genuinely share their experiences with others. Sharing the truth of one’s own experiences, hardships, and expressions – simply to provoke or guide others towards a better understanding of themselves and the world – is not something just anyone can do. His books offer whatever you can make of them – they couldn’t be simplified further. But when Zeb met him, she could only speak about how there is so much more to this “whole thing” than what meets the eye…

Himanshu’s work provides a reality check of sorts – words that make you ponder. I have always believed that good design should attract, shape, and, more importantly, evoke an emotional response.

Caution! Read only if you believe in the true expression of a creative mind – he is no artist, but a reluctant superhero for sure.

superheroes are maybe those who do good for others,
almost all of us want to be one, or maybe are one,
me too,

but then as a superhero you are expected to perform
consistently and continuously for the betterment of the 
others when the others just almost remain passive and take you for granted

so what happens when the superhero decides to be reluctant,
or just ends up being reluctant...

....maybe that is good for people

always why bother

A revolution in himself, you can view and purchase some of Himanshu’s unique artworks displayed on his  face-book album.

Moreover, he is at the heart of “Dharavi Art Room” alongside Aqui Thami, an NGO dedicated to bringing together the community to explore issues through an artistic medium. They organise many interactions and workshops, so do contribute to this great effort. And the one with the widest smile you’ll see is… Himanshu S.