Grade 10 : Trespassers Collective - Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls School

Trespassers create a mural that transcends the boundaries of ordinary perception. As artists who find inspiration in the world around them, they meticulously craft a tapestry of intricate details and site-specific elements inspired by the local context.

The starting point of this work is the idea of a mirage — an elusive phenomenon that has been a recurring theme in desert lore. The artists delve into the essence of this optical illusion. They perceive the mirage as a remarkable confluence of environments, a blend of distant landscapes unobstructed by human structures, and the unique colour harmonies that nature and human constructions assume in response to the desert's topography.

A vibrant landscape emerges where people and their creations take centre stage. Here, the magic of the desert comes alive, with countless stories through the ages: stone houses gleam with the rich hues of the desert soil, goats traverse the vast expanse until they themselves become part of the desert's canvas, and women communicate through their colourful veils in village kitchens. Clothes are sewn and adorned with meticulous care, old men craft their crutches, and flora and fauna dance through this symphony.

Through a play in form, the mural invites the viewer into a realm where different visual continuities coexist, much like a mirage itself — transforming a simple classroom into a sanctuary of exploration and wonder.