The Hinglish Diary

Recent GMD graduate, Muskaan Sethia, tells us about her Hinglish typography project that is featured in a new book…

Women of Type by Jess Goldsmith, features the work of more than 130 women and non-binary artists from over 20 countries across 5 continents, as a creative collaboration to celebrate letters, colours, and the power of the written word. I am very grateful to have been selected as a part of this very first edition. My artwork in this book was a part of one of my final Major Projects during my time at LCC – “The Hinglish Diary”.

Hinglish is the fusion of two languages – Hindi and English. During the British Rule in India, the Indians picked up on a few English words to communicate with the British and vice versa. As a result, Hinglish was born. Along with this, there are certain phrases that only make sense in the Hinglish Dictionary. “The Hinglish Diary” explores Hinglish in a variety of ways and is presented in art forms that were also popularised at the same time as Hinglish.

This artwork was inspired by matchbox art. The match industry in India has a fascinating history. Its local production expanded in the 1920s when 2 entrepreneurs set up factories in the town of Sivakasi. Those were the days of national self-help, and match-making, with its humble production context – the family home or workshop – appeared a veritable national duty. It seemed a quintessential cottage industry, drawing on local art skills and resources.

The text for this artwork reads “Baaki sab first class hai” which translates to “everything else is first class”, a common Hinglish phrase.”

More information on this project can be found here: https://www.gmdlcc.com/students/muskaan-sethia/

Connect with Muskaan on LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/muskaan-sethia-b7b495194

Buy this lovely book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BRMFQZF8?ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_STZWTV4G1387BX0GP725