On Finding the Humor in Hardship
Artowrk by Aditi Baid
Meet artist Aditi Baid (@aditi.baid), a digital marketing professional and an illustration artist based in Mumbai, who’s taken to Instagram to share her creative perspective on the irony and humour in our everyday lives. Writing for TLP last year on Zomato’s 10-day period leave policy, she knows how to put sarcasm, sass and satire into her work.
What does art mean to you?
At a basic level, it’s a form of self-expression and the beauty lies in the resonance.
Your work follows a unique, comic style look. Has it always been that way?
Since I’m not a trained artist, I figured keeping my illustrations simple and focusing on the message I’m trying to convey worked best for me. From a personal aesthetic point of view, I like simple clean lines and bright colours. So, I stick to that.
Describe your artistic process.
It’s mostly just staring at a blank page (and being terrified of it), haha. Thankfully, I have a long list of childhood issues and an even longer list of things I feel very passionately about that I can draw upon. Then I try to have as much fun as I can with my miseries (and joys), past and present.
There’s a resounding sass and pointed sense of humour that permeates your pieces and captions. Is that a reflection of yourself in real life?
Yes, my work is one hundred per cent self-indulgent that way. My teenage years taught me that no one likes a wet blanket. So, I figured if I have to whine about things, I might as well make them funny or interesting.
Your humour often conveys an underlying sense of exasperation or frustration with society. Is art your outlet?
Yes, art is my outlet and my voice. It’s cathartic in the sense that I can take all that anger/frustration and channel it into something creative (and in the process, it’s out of my system and I can proceed to have a perfectly fine day!)
While most of your pieces portray light-hearted, relatable daily scenes, your work occasionally shifts to discuss more pressing political and cultural issues. When do you choose to make that shift?
Aspirationally, I’d like to consistently create art that is happy, bright and witty - something that people would want to put up on their walls and feel good looking at. But my work usually mirrors my mindset of that day or week - and some days are better than the others.
I try not to talk about anything that isn’t my lived experience or where I’m not qualified enough to lend my voice. However, if there are political or cultural issues that will affect my life, in the present or future, directly or indirectly; I like using my voice and what little power I have, to weigh in with my perspective on it. I still consciously ration political content because it takes a toll on mental health. I have utmost respect (and reverence) for fellow artists who regularly create political art.
What’s next for you?
I may dabble with a small online store for prints/merch, once I work out the details. In the meantime, I will continue doing what I’m doing.
You can find Aditi’s artwork on Instagram: @aditi.baid. All artwork featured in the piece belongs to the artist.
By Komal Samrow
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