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 Gulbahaar's final project 'Reclaim the Feminine' is a publication offering new perspectives on femininity and feminine roles in society.ARTSTHREAD:Can you describe your concept and creative process? Gulbahaar Kaur: Our world is in a state of imbalance, the Masculine is dominating over the Feminine. As a result, people of all genders are disconnected from their Feminine powers. Virtues like compassion, creativity, being in touch with our emotions are all curbed by the prevalent hustle culture which exists as a structure of power leading to toxic unhealthy societies. The feminine identity is designated to women by birth. In a patriarchal society it tends to define roles, behaviours and attributes of womanhood. Although if we look back at our history some of the greatest civilisations have flourished under a strong influence and understanding of femininity within both men and women. It is because they accepted femininity and masculinity as energies that a person regardless of their gender must imbibe. We can also see how 'Nature' which is feminine is being destroyed by our larger masculine culture. If femininity is described by a calmer, more intuitive way of life and masculinity is described by work and quantifiable success; then this opposition is best captured in the tussle of nature with exploitation or of our environment with capitalist greed. We will be treating this degradation of nature as an allegory for the vilification of femininity at the hands of a hyper masculine and exploitative society. The aim shall be to find ways to reclaim our feminine instincts whilst maintaining a good balance of masculinity within ourselves. Through this publication we will study the past and render value to those who walked the earth before us. These were communities that valued both masculinity and femininity. Understand their ways, reanalyse our own present day hyper masculine societies and how we work within them. Essentially rework our relationship with nature or the Earth Mother embodying the feminine since the inception. ARTSTHREAD: Can you explain the thinking behind the key concepts and outcomes of your project? Gulbahaar Kaur: I wanted to create a publication that is independent from the fast paced consumption on the internet. A personal experience printed on paper with many layers inside. To play with materials and colours for a sensory experience and fully immerse individuals into the subject. To reiterate the value of a visually immersive adventure, off-screens where one makes space and time to sit and read, a deeply personal encounter. The publication takes one on a journey from ancient civilisations to the present day. It celebrates nature, aesthetics, arts and crafts, the true imprint of beauty and femininity. ARTSTHREAD: Are you 100% back on campus or are you still working all/partly from home? Please describe your environment? Gulbahaar Kaur: It's hybrid so we're back on campus but have a few classes taking place online. ARTSTHREAD: Has being back on campus given you a new perspective on the university/your class colleagues/tutors? Gulbahaar Kaur: My experience with online learning has been very smooth and pleasant for the past 2 years. Although the chance of meeting your faculty in person is always more valuable, additionally the access to college libraries was helpful in the creation of my final outcome.  Gulbahaar's publication is an immersive piece celebrating nature, aesthetics and art.ARTSTHREAD: Did you need to innovate when you had to work by yourself at home? Gulbahaar Kaur: Yes, as a fashion styling and image design student the lost access to college studios was a major obstacle. I had to create set-ups in natural settings or inside my house during the peak of pandemic. Sourcing also became a hassle for a bit and I had to upcycle clothing and other normal objects found at home into styling pieces. ARTSTHREAD: What's one thing that has helped you get through the last 2 years? Gulbahaar Kaur: Reading, it was a passage to travel around the world through different stories, when in reality every country was under lockdown. It helped jog my imagination and kept the creative in me active and alive. ARTSTHREAD: What are the most positive learning outcomes from this process? Gulbahaar Kaur: Through the project I immersed myself into different cultures and ancient texts to fully understand the relevance of femininity in the past. I now have in-depth knowledge of my own cultural roots with Indian Mythology as well as insights into the world of ancient Egyptian art, mayans and shamans. I am way more appreciative of our history and understand concepts beyond the contemporary perspective. ARTSTHREAD: How do you think design can help improve the world? Gulbahaar Kaur: Design requires innovation and thinking beyond the obvious. Anytime the world finds itself in a tight spot, artists and designers around the world are the engineers in the creation of a new world. Design is adaptive and welcomes new perspectives that help mould societies for a better future. ARTSTHREAD: What are your hopes for the future? Gulbahaar Kaur: I hope we work on the tough lessons that the pandemic has taught us. The world requires change in the way it has been conducting itself. We need to find the value in slowing down and not be consumed by the rat race. I hope in the future we embrace the feminine way of life, work on restoring our environment and become one with art and aesthetics to create more well rounded societies. ARTSTHREAD: Thank you Gulbahaar - we wish you all the very best! See Gulbahaar’s ARTSTHREAD Portfolio Images in slider: Gulbahaar and her work Our Global Design Graduate Show 2022 in collaboration with Gucci is open internationally to all art and design undergraduate or postgraduate students graduating in the Academic Year 2021-22 and the deadline to apply is August 31 2022. 
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In advance of the deadline for Global Design Graduate Show 2022 in collaboration with Gucci, we interview Gulbahaar Kaur, a 2022 graduating student from Pearl Academy, Fashion Styling and Image Design.
Our Global Design Graduate Show 2022 in collaboration with Gucci is open internationally to all art and design undergraduate or postgraduate students graduating in the Academic Year 2021-22 and the deadline to apply is August 31 2022.
See Gulbahaar’s ARTSTHREAD Portfolio
ARTSTHREAD:Where are you from?
Gulbahaar Kaur: I'm from India, currently based in Gurgaon
ARTSTHREAD: What is the name, theme, concept and final outcome of your graduate project/thesis?
Gulbahaar Kaur: Reclaim the Feminine- Publication. In a post covid world where we are looking towards a fresh start. Assessing the structures of power and reworking them with the missing balance of femininity.
Gulbahaar's final project 'Reclaim the Feminine' is a publication offering new perspectives on femininity and feminine roles in society.ARTSTHREAD:Can you describe your concept and creative process?
Gulbahaar Kaur: Our world is in a state of imbalance, the Masculine is dominating over the Feminine.
As a result, people of all genders are disconnected from their Feminine powers.
Virtues like compassion, creativity, being in touch with our emotions are all curbed by the prevalent hustle culture which exists as a structure of power leading to toxic unhealthy societies.
The feminine identity is designated to women by birth. In a patriarchal society it tends to define roles, behaviours and attributes of womanhood. Although if we look back at our history some of the greatest civilisations have flourished under a strong influence and understanding of femininity within both men and women. It is because they accepted femininity and masculinity as energies that a person regardless of their gender must imbibe.
We can also see how 'Nature' which is feminine is being destroyed by our larger masculine culture. If femininity is described by a calmer, more intuitive way of life and masculinity is described by work and quantifiable success; then this opposition is best captured in the tussle of nature with exploitation or of our environment with capitalist greed.
We will be treating this degradation of nature as an allegory for the vilification of femininity at the hands of a hyper masculine and exploitative society. The aim shall be to find ways to reclaim our feminine instincts whilst maintaining a good balance of masculinity within ourselves.
Through this publication we will study the past and render value to those who walked the earth before us. These were communities that valued both masculinity and femininity. Understand their ways, reanalyse our own present day hyper masculine societies and how we work within them. Essentially rework our relationship with nature or the Earth Mother embodying the feminine since the inception.
ARTSTHREAD: Can you explain the thinking behind the key concepts and outcomes of your project?
Gulbahaar Kaur: I wanted to create a publication that is independent from the fast paced consumption on the internet. A personal experience printed on paper with many layers inside. To play with materials and colours for a sensory experience and fully immerse individuals into the subject.
To reiterate the value of a visually immersive adventure, off-screens where one makes space and time to sit and read, a deeply personal encounter. The publication takes one on a journey from ancient civilisations to the present day. It celebrates nature, aesthetics, arts and crafts, the true imprint of beauty and femininity.
ARTSTHREAD: Are you 100% back on campus or are you still working all/partly from home? Please describe your environment?
Gulbahaar Kaur: It's hybrid so we're back on campus but have a few classes taking place online.
ARTSTHREAD: Has being back on campus given you a new perspective on the university/your class colleagues/tutors?
Gulbahaar Kaur: My experience with online learning has been very smooth and pleasant for the past 2
years. Although the chance of meeting your faculty in person is always more valuable, additionally the access to college libraries was helpful in the creation of my final outcome.
Gulbahaar's publication is an immersive piece celebrating nature, aesthetics and art.ARTSTHREAD: Did you need to innovate when you had to work by yourself at home?
Gulbahaar Kaur: Yes, as a fashion styling and image design student the lost access to college studios
was a major obstacle. I had to create set-ups in natural settings or inside my house during the peak of pandemic. Sourcing also became a hassle for a bit and I had to upcycle clothing and other normal objects found at home into styling pieces.
ARTSTHREAD: What's one thing that has helped you get through the last 2 years?
Gulbahaar Kaur: Reading, it was a passage to travel around the world through different stories, when in
reality every country was under lockdown. It helped jog my imagination and kept the creative in me active and alive.
ARTSTHREAD: What are the most positive learning outcomes from this process?
Gulbahaar Kaur: Through the project I immersed myself into different cultures and ancient texts to fully
understand the relevance of femininity in the past. I now have in-depth knowledge of my
own cultural roots with Indian Mythology as well as insights into the world of ancient
Egyptian art, mayans and shamans. I am way more appreciative of our history and
understand concepts beyond the contemporary perspective.
ARTSTHREAD: How do you think design can help improve the world?
Gulbahaar Kaur: Design requires innovation and thinking beyond the obvious. Anytime the world finds
itself in a tight spot, artists and designers around the world are the engineers in the creation of a new world. Design is adaptive and welcomes new perspectives that help mould societies for a better future.
ARTSTHREAD: What are your hopes for the future?
Gulbahaar Kaur: I hope we work on the tough lessons that the pandemic has taught us. The world
requires change in the way it has been conducting itself. We need to find the value in slowing down and not be consumed by the rat race. I hope in the future we embrace the feminine way of life, work on restoring our environment and become one with art and aesthetics to create more well rounded societies.
ARTSTHREAD: Thank you Gulbahaar - we wish you all the very best!
See Gulbahaar’s ARTSTHREAD Portfolio
Images in slider: Gulbahaar and her work
Our Global Design Graduate Show 2022 in collaboration with Gucci is open internationally to all art and design undergraduate or postgraduate students graduating in the Academic Year 2021-22 and the deadline to apply is August 31 2022.