Gujarat Ni Goonj - Sabarmati Riverfront
ગુજરાતની ગુંજ (Gujarat ni Goonj)
Material - steel, paint
Size - 25ft L X 15ft W X 20ft H
This work reflects the layered identity of Gujarat—where a rich textile past meets a sharply industrial present. The form is intricately articulated, almost textile like but architectural and fabricated in steel. This refers to the state’s transformation into an industrial powerhouse. The surface carries hand-painted Bandhani patterns, drawn from one of Gujarat’s most iconic traditions.
The coexistence of steel and Bandhani becomes a dialogue between eras: craft and industry, hand and machine, memory and momentum. The piece is made by someone born of this land—shaped by Gujarat, and in turn shaping a work for Gujarat.
Beyond material and form, Gujarat ni Goonj speaks to the spirit of the state—its food, its people, and its unmistakable warmth. Gujaratis are known far beyond their borders for their openness and generosity of heart. That cultural vibration—its echo—was present in the past, lives strongly in the present, and will continue into the future.
This enduring resonance is the goonj of Gujarat.
Made by Priyanka Shah - Founder of Azula Studios, Ahmedabad.
About the Artist - PRIYANKA SHAH
Priyanka Shah
Ahmedabad, 27yrs
I was born in Gujarat, a place that continues to shape how I think, feel, and make. My practice is grounded in material and form, and in the quiet pride I carry for my culture and where I come from.
I hold a BFA in Sculpture from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), where I graduated in 2020. My training there strengthened my interest in formalism and helped me develop a sculptural language that is precise, restrained, and materially driven. I work with steel, wood, and resin—materials chosen for their strength, weight, and permanence, and for the discipline they demand.
At the same time, I am deeply connected to traditional craft and textile histories. By integrating hand-painted Bandhani patterns onto industrial forms, I bring together the world I was raised in with the one I was educated in—softness and rigidity, memory and structure, tradition and contemporaneity.
As a 5-foot-2 petite woman, I am often expected to work small or stay within softer material boundaries. Choosing to work boldly with industrial materials and assertive forms becomes a way of breaking those assumptions and claiming space.
My work is an ongoing conversation with Gujarat. It comes from love, pride, and a desire to translate cultural identity into a contemporary sculptural form that feels both personal and enduring.