Head to cheeky bazaar

A view of the virtual Sid Bazaar

Imagine walking into a departmental store and finding that all the products are labelled with what you really think of them, uncensored. A bedside clock captioned, ‘Aur time waste kar', a familiar can of chips that says ‘Singles', or a ‘Done with your bullshit' pill. Chuckle all you want but we're not joking. If all goes to plan, Mumbai-based artist Sidhant Gandhi, also known as Toosid, plans to open a virtual Sid Bazaar, which will stock the hatke, and alarmingly honest versions of everyday utility products, that speak your mind.

Products from the art series. Pics Courtesy/Toosid

The 30-year-old artist's new digital art series of several such products has been winning the Internet. Gandhi, who has been working in the art and design space for 12 years, tells us that like all his other artworks, Sid Bazaar is a reflection of what is going on around him - what people are thinking, how consumer behaviour is changing, the way we interact with capitalism in our daily lives, and now, COVID-19. "If you step back and look at the series, it is [a reflection of] capitalism driving people's emotions - products that we buy daily saying things that are inside our heads," he explains. So, a sweaty soda can rightfully screams ‘Covid jawani kha gaya', while a lollipop is packaged ‘But we don't have the budget'.

Call it reverse psychology, or brutal honesty - with a high relatability factor and tongue-in-cheek appeal, the artworks, which can be viewed on his Instagram profile, have struck a chord with netizens. Gandhi swears by the belief that anything that has an ounce of truth in it, survives. "Of course, self-awareness is a continuous journey. But I feel that in the online space, there's a preachy notion towards self-awareness, which I don't think works for today's youth. For me, the question is to see if I can combine humour, honesty, and change the way people see products," he notes.

Although the artist started the series while learning and experimenting with 3D software last November, it has since taken on a life of its own, with viewers demanding NFT (non-fungible token) sales. Gandhi, thus, plans to create a virtual departmental store in metaverse - a network of virtual reality worlds - and call it Sid Bazaar. Unlike the usual shelves in a departmental store, Sid Bazaar products will have a more experiential feel.

"For instance, for a coffee brand that I am collaborating with, we're thinking of creating a virtual 3D coffee estate in the bazaar. If this project sticks around for a few more years, you'll be able to wear a VR [virtual reality] headset and walk around the bazaar, see products that can actually reach you in real life, experience performances and more," he explains.

Once the pandemic is in control, a touch-and-feel experience of a "spoof flea", where people can actually walk in and buy the products, is on the cards. But for now, Gandhi is focusing on the NFT sale, which will go live sometime next month, if the health crisis improves. Drop by, virtually.

Log on to: @toosid on Instagram