Sharon Sigamani, founder of Piece Up, a brand that creates puzzles for adults, also found solace in making puzzles with her aunt during the lockdown. “I want to encourage working people to get back into puzzles because it gives you a sense of accomplishment in this very busy world. When you put that last piece of the puzzle, you get a sense of achievement even if you are having a bad day,” she says, adding that there’s been a definite shift towards hobbies where one can spend time with oneself or others in peace. “Everyone is looking to find an escape in this fast-paced hustle culture world. There is a certain sense of urgency all the time. So a lot of young people are turning to activities like puzzles and board games,” Sigamani adds.
When it comes to art forms that can help you escape the daily hustle of life, origami, the age-old Japanese art form of folding paper to create different things, has also seen a resurgence. “People sharing their origami work with the world on social media has encouraged a lot of origami enthusiasts to showcase their work. I have seen a significant increase in interest in origami as an art in the last five years,” says Nikhil S, an origami artist who has been practising for more than 15 years. He further adds, “Each fold takes its own time to complete and one cannot rush through it. Over time, you ensure to slow down taking one step at a time, take time to appreciate each fold and thus it inherently provides one the time to de-stress.”
Another medium that has seen a rise when it comes to artistic expression is self-publishing zines. “What I also see is that it’s slowly taking a rise in Bengaluru because there has been a culture of zine making in Mumbai, but I can see Bengaluru picking up the pace. My workshops get people from the 19-30 age group,” says 29-year-old illustrator Neha Shetty, who conducts zine workshops in the city. Renuka Rajiv, another zine artist in the city, says that the low production cost is also one of the reasons for the growing popularity. “It’s just incredibly accessible and that means anyone can take it and make it their own in the manner they find appropriate or interesting. I love how little it takes to make a zine,” she adds.