Delhi Lace

NeSpoon is a Polish street artist known for her practice based on the almost forgotten tradition of doily making. Since 2009, she has managed to take this often domestic practice onto the streets, giving it new possibilities. From murals and etched images to 3D lace installations and ceramic pieces perfectly attached to everyday things, she often gives harsh cityscapes a new softness. Through her work, she tries to find inspiration in local textile traditions, art forms associated with women that celebrate femininity and harmony in communities across the world.

NeSpoon has also extensively worked on socially and politically engaged independent projects. She participated in several street art showcases across the globe, such as Emergence Festival and Urban Nation, amongst others.

For this mural, Nespoon adapted her style of integrating the white lace tradition of Europe with shapes inspired by Indian patterns and local flowers.

After meeting women associated with ‘Insha-e-Noor’, a women’s livelihoods initiative of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, NeSpoon decided to use red and orange as a response to the vibrant, colourful Saaris she saw all around, as well as the flowers of the Sahmal trees characteristic of Delhi. This was also the first time NeSpoon used colour in her work.

This piece celebrates the similarities between European and Indian women's crafts and patterns, giving them a contemporary urban dimension through street art.