ALBUM ARTicle SAKINA BOOTWALA
Hello, a little bit about yourself and your background in arts and music?
I could have never imagined myself pursuing the arts as I’ve been jumping from one trade to another all my life. From studying Science in school to doing an Advertising & Branding major in College, the focus was never towards Designing per se. It was actually during my final year in college that I found myself more interested in visual semiotics; when strategy met practicality - the creative execution. And I think that’s when I made my decision. The more I dabbled in the arts, the happier I was. I felt like I was finally able to express my confusion through visual eclecticism.
At this point in your career, what role did music have to play in you getting to where you are?
Music has always been a source of inspiration in my life - it started with relating to the lyrics and appreciating different elements within the music to gradually understanding the mood and emotion that the song is trying to reflect.
Tell us about your collaboration with Blame Adam from conception to creation and the end product.
It was quite an interesting one as his music is unconventional and groovy. We came across the Japanese idea of an individual having three faces; the first face, you show to the world. The second, you show to your close friends, and your family. The third, you never really show anyone. It is the truest reflection of who you are. People are complicated, and much of what makes us who we are is hidden beneath the surface. As we interact with different people, we reveal different layers of ourselves. And that’s the concept behind Asura.
What are your thoughts on how other art apart from music is perceived in our music scene? (Like visual arts, album arts, photographers and the likes)
According to me, it is essential for both audio & visual to co-exist in the same realm for the maximum experience. It is an integral part for the growth of music. The visual aspect aids to making music a more tangible resource in the industry. Music and art are inter-related and complement one another.
Tell us a little bit about the process that is involved in making a piece by Sakina.
It’s a little bit of inspiration from people, real life and a lot to do with what’s going on in the mind. There’s no right way to approach an idea. Sometimes the idea takes 3 days & sometimes it takes 3 months to fully surface as an art piece. To be honest,
I’m still coming to understand my process.
How is creating an album art different from creating other art?
It isn’t in the most basic sense of creating the album art - that is, it must signify something or tell a story. But it is different in the sense that it needs to tell someone else’s story. So understanding that in terms of the music can be challenging.
Tell us about your art style and the concepts behind your artworks.
It aims to be minimal but it always has one overpowering element. It is dark but it has splashes of colour here and there. Almost always, it denotes a state of mind - either with the colours or the concept.