1. How should I introduce you?
My name is Mihika, however I like to be called or I call myself/my outlet Laturia. Laturia (lé-too-riya) in a local Rajasthani dialect 'marwari', means long messy hair. The word resonates with my perception of beauty in the things around me - raw, unkempt, open yet one-in-a-kind.
A designation
I co-founded a storytelling agency with my partner back in 2019, called anukrm which i'm still a part of as a creative director and I independently work as a visual artist through my outlet/platform as Laturia. Currently, I am predominantly working in the areas of Visual Curation and Creation through Art Direction, Styling, Photography and Research.
An adjective (What is your superpower?)
My eye or Observation
2. What does your work aim to say/do?
It mostly celebrates Indianness and the beauty in everyday things around us in this country.
Born in the culturally rooted local tribal community amidst the Aravallis, and fortunate enough to have traveled the world, the unfiltered soul of Indianness is what keeps bringing me back.
Le laturia is my journey towards exploration, curation and creation of Indian art, craft, culture and bringing them to the forefront through building an understanding of their history, significance, utility and visual aesthetics.
3. What is the best or most worthwhile investment you’ve ever made? Could be an investment of money, time, energy, etc
I got myself a Spotify membership some months ago, finally after listening to repeated adverts in between songs. I love music and being able to seamlessly access it is great for me. It instantly lifts my mood.
4. Is there any system you have put in place that allows you to go off the grid for 4 to 6 weeks?
Yes, I do try to get away from work and social media etc at least once a month. If I don’t have any travel plans, I just pack my stuff and leave for my ancestral home in Alwar with my dogs, the network isn't very great there anyway. Just relax and spend some time on the farm and with family.
5. If you could have a gigantic billboard anywhere with anything on it - metaphorically speaking, getting a message to millions, what would it say and why?
‘Take it Slow’ is something I really want to tell everyone right now.
We all, around the world are running after something and we need to slow down. It is very necessary for our own well being as well as for our environment/surroundings.
6. What obsessions do you explore in the evenings or the weekends?
Sometimes it's eating some good comfort food or coffee and enjoying a movie or some time painting/doodling.
Other times it's going to the old city area in Jaipur, strolling through the market and colorful streets. I find so many of my ideas, objects I use in my work, and inspiration through these trips to the city.
7. What is an unusual habit or an absurd thing that you love?
I don't know if it's unusual but whenever I'm traveling, especially in India, I have a habit of collecting tiny everyday things that are unique to that place and crafted/made locally- soaps, local towels, sometimes cups and crockery, pouches etc. And sometimes even sarees
8. What would you (if you could) tell yourself when you were 18? What advice would you ask your younger self to ignore?
I would tell myself ‘be unapologetically yourself’.
And advice I would ask my younger self to ignore would be ‘to act as an adult now’.
9. What are the bad recommendations/fads you hear in your profession or area of expertise?
“Take all the work that comes to you as creative careers are short lived” is what a lot of people have recommended me while I believe in putting my energy into meaningful work and prefer quality over quantity to put it simply.
More about Laturia: