Rug in upcycled rice straw and recycled yarns
Rise before the Ashes
2023
A reflection on the invisible boundaries that shape our everyday lives, especially the boundary between clean air and polluted air. The work is made using agro-waste, particularly rice straw, which is commonly burned after harvest in parts of Northern India. This seasonal burning contributes heavily to the thick smog that spreads across cities, affecting millions of people.
The choice of red and black is intentional. Red represents heat, urgency, and the act of burning fields set on fire as part of a larger agricultural cycle. Black represents the smoke, ash, and pollution that remain long after the flames are gone. Together, these colours create a dense and heavy visual surface that reflects the feeling of being surrounded by smog uncertain, suffocating, and difficult to escape.
Within the theme of ‘Confine (Boundary)’, this work looks at air as a shared space that has become unevenly divided. Air is something we all depend on, yet access to clean air is not equal. For some, boundaries exist in the form of indoor spaces, air purifiers, and controlled environments that offer protection. For others, especially outdoor workers or those without such resources, there is constant exposure. This creates a boundary that cannot be seen, but is deeply experienced through breathing, health, and daily life. The material itself carries another layer of meaning. Rice straw is a natural by-product of farming, once part of a circular system. Today, due to economic pressure and limited alternatives, it is often burned, turning a resource into a source of pollution. This highlights a boundary between value and waste how materials shift meaning depending on systems, access, and infrastructure.
There is also a connection between rural and urban spaces. What begins in agricultural fields does not stay contained there. Smoke travels across regions, crossing physical and social boundaries, and settling into cities far away from its origin. In this way, the smog becomes a moving boundary that connects people who may never meet, but who share the same air.
Rise before the Ashes brings attention to something that is usually invisible. Air pollution is often understood through numbers and reports, but rarely experienced as a physical object. This textile makes the issue visible and tangible, allowing viewers to pause and reflect on its presence.
The work sits between craft, material innovation, and environmental storytelling. It uses a familiar textile format but carries a deeper message about how we live, what we breathe, and how we are connected. By doing so, it treats the boundary not just as a line that separates, but as a space where different realities meet, overlap, and affect one another.
Aarushi is a material-driven designer and the founder of ‘Parali by Aarushi’, a practice rooted in sustainability, craft revival, and ecological innovation. A graduate of the University of the Arts London (MA Textiles Design), her work explores the transformation of agro-waste particularly rice straw into meaningful textiles and design objects. Through her practice, Aarushi challenges conventional material hierarchies, repositioning waste as a valuable resource. She works closely with rural communities, integrating traditional knowledge with contemporary design to create socially and environmentally conscious outcomes. Her belief lies in design as a bridge between nature and industry, craft and innovation, and local narratives and global relevance shaping a circular and regenerative future.