1) Which is your favourite edition of Persephone and why?

2) Which is your personal favourite work of yours and why?

3) What does Persephone mean to you?

1) My favourite edition of Persephone is the one that we did on street art and graffiti. It is very close to my heart. Because I got to know a side of art which I didn’t have much idea about. I got to learn how street art is done, the technicality of it and the logistics behind it and also its history and place in popular culture. We also did an interview on an actual street artist and in the process of asking him questions we discovered things that we had no idea about, for example how they use a projector when creating murals and how working at night prevents any disturbance that might affect the workflow. The practical knowledge that it gave me and the historical context that I got is what makes it my favourite. We also did a cover page for the first time, site visits for the first time where everyone from the team collected individual photos of murals of Delhi. It was a very hands-on experience which made it really fun!

2) My favourite work of mine is the article I wrote of Nainsukh of Guler and Ganji Churail. Both were very fulfilling for me.

3) Initially my idea behind Persephone was about creating a space in which discussions around art and what it means to us was allowed free reign without adhering to the strict conventions around art. There is a part of our brain that has been conditioned to equate “good”, “rich”, “luxe” with minimal colours which is a very colonial idea. For example in India, most of South Asia and a lot of other cultures that are considered to be oriental by the West, maximalism has always been a mark of luxury and of privilege. As a modern Indian situated in the current socio-political climate it's very difficult to access and navigate these opinions, where you can find validation for the way you want to express yourself, without falling in line with the “classical” understanding of what good art means. Persephone for me was a space where this could be done in a simple and accessible way.

1) I think my favourite edition is the horror one. I just absolutely love the deep dive of art in that space. It opened up a whole new world for me and I see the visual queues so much clearer whenever I watch a film or read a book.

2) I think for me it's the article I wrote for our printing issue. That was my first time really letting go and lending my voice as authentically as I could.

3) Persephone, for me, means the power of creativity and its presence in every single thing we do.

1) My fav edition is the November 2023 issue. It is a really interesting read as it goes through different printing practices.

2) My personal fav is the latest issue of Jun’25. Because it's a newer format and it was quite fun to build the front and backend. It makes navigating through the newsletters easier and makes hosting articles more efficient.

3) Inspiring and Evolving. It's been a space where I get to learn about art while solving design problems.

1) Even though it’s really difficult to choose the issue of “Persephone” I love the most, I’ll have to be a little more inclined towards our “Horror” specials. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again that we all have something to be afraid of. As a team I always love how each one of us sheds light upon diverse perspectives regarding art and experiences. The horror editions have something vulnerable yet intrepid elements within them that make them intriguing for me.

2) My favorite contribution to the newsletter so far has to be the article on disability. I remember reading about it a lot. Being a sensitive topic, it deserves way more attention and discussion, especially now than ever.

3) “Persephone” is that song that I can tune into at any moment and feel like myself! From its inception to celebrating its third birthday this year, the journey has been wonderfully written and witnessed by me, my amazing colleagues and our gentle readers. Can’t wait to celebrate many more feats with you all in future.

1) My favourite edition of Persephone is the one on folk art (August 2024). The one where we interviewed artist Dhaniram Kushdil who is a master artist of Kangra miniature painting. It felt like the most precious experience to be able to educate myself about an art form that has had such a rich journey. Kushdilji was the most down to earth person and patiently answered all our questions with utmost generosity. It really humbled me and I will always remember the experience with a ton of gratitude.

2) My personal favourite is the first article I ever wrote for Persephone (February issue 2024). The one where I trace the journey of the colour Pink. It was a topic that was really interesting to me and to contribute for the first time also felt exhilarating!

3) It has been a meandering road full of learnings and unlearnings. Persephone is valuable to me because of the teamwork that it requires. Bouncing of ideas with the team and trying to find solutions is a really invigorating process for me.

1) While every edition of Persephone has a special charm to it, my favourite has to be the January, 2025 one. I am thrilled at every opportunity I get to talk about my favourite fictional heroines and the January edition presented exactly that. Reading my team mates’ articles on some of these badass literary figures and adding my own thoughts to the newsletter was the exact creative boost I needed to start off my year!

2) It has to be the first article I ever contributed to Persephone in October, 2024. The month’s theme almost felt like a challenge because I don't enjoy the genre of horror that much. But, I did manage to write something in the end which really helped restore faith in my writing abilities. The idea for “On the Brink of the Uncanny Valley” sprouted out of one of my favourite novels, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, paired with an interest in exploring what features are perceived as scary by humans and why(basically trying to understand why i am scared of horror to the point of not even wanting to watch it, lol)

3) The journey so far has been a monthly loop of believing I can easily write this article in one night and being proven wildly wrong every time. But, honestly, Persephone feels like a warm hug from a community of nerds who love yapping about their special interests which includes art, films, literature, history, politics, culture, food and everything in between.