Quiet Riot

Artist and entrepreneur, Jas Charanjiva proves that change begins from within

- MAMTA MODY

"Everything starts from the fire I have for wanting to see things change,” says Jas Charanjiva. The self-taught artist and co-owner of the lifestyle store, Kulture Shop has been channelling this angst into art ever since she was a teenager. Growing up in California, she was moved by underground artists and skateboard culture to create artworks that made a statement about society.

Now, her street art rallies for an inclusive, cruelty-free future, like the Pink Lady mural (her reaction to the 2012 Nirbhaya case) has come to be known as a symbol of women empowerment. She’s soon going to release an educational series on speciesism inspired by her in-depth research into factory farming.

She talks to us about the importance of following a daily routine and self-love.

ELLE: Creating art is often an inward journey that makes you question everything that’s going on around you. How do you care for your emotional health?

Jas Charanjiva: It’s really important to switch off, otherwise you could create some bad patterns. When the Nirbhaya incident happened, it consumed me. Some time later, when I was researching factory farming, I was again totally absorbed by something I greatly wanted to change. I also became fully vegan around this time.