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Hiten Noonwal
Hiten Noonwal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Shahbad Daulatpur, Delhi |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | Masters in Apparel/Fashion Design from NID |
| Alma mater | NID : National Institute of Design, COA : College of Art |
| Known for | Character Creator, Headgears, Exclusive Design Educator, Drag artist,Fashion designer,Genderfluid performance art, Cosplay |
| Parent(s) | Shri. Inder Singh Noonwal ( Father ),Smt. Bugli Devi Noonwal ( Mother ) |
Hiten Noonwal is an Indian performance artist, cosplayer, and fashion designer known for their avant-garde style.[1]
Hiten has performed more than 800 dance shows across the world and has conducted design and gender sensitization workshops.[2]They teach at various design institutes like NIFT, IIAD, TDV, Ashoka University, Woxsen school of art and design and more design institutes across the country. Each time they teach they become a character according to the subject that they teach; Like becoming Cleopatra for the History of clothing class. They are the only design faculty who teach this way and hence his style of teaching is appreciated by all design colleges of the country. Hiten specializes in oriental belly dance[3] and performs drag with dance; they are well known for their performances presentations on flow movements.[4] Hiten had faced many difficulties in presenting their art without their family knowing of it. Hiten identifies as gender fluid.[5]
Hiten has previously worked as a fashion designer at Ritu Kumar and assistant designer at Raw Mango.[6] They earned a Masters in Apparel/Fashion Design from National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad and is an LGBTQ+ Influencer.[7] The documentary Nothing But a Human covers Noonwal's life.[8]
Hiten’s body of work comprises a compelling and complex archive of selves and objects that are multiple and express strong emotions. Always fluid and rocky, masculine and feminine, flying and buried, repressed and expressed, life and art, seeing and hiding, self and selves- all at the same time. Hiten’s form of art as a paradox of sorts because they believe that art, as well the artist has no classification, not even a gender. But that doesn’t equal to the fact of an artist being gender-less. Instead, it’s about how their narratives are no longer defined by gender.[9] Hailing from a orthodox family in a small town, I see gender as the Universe; it’s so vast and wide with so many options that you can’t contain it to a small scale.’ says Hiten. Thus, Hiten calls themselves a gender-fluid person.
Hiten had a devastating queerphobic experience at school but they didn’t give up on studies. Hiten is an alumnus of the prestigious institute of national importance, The National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. Hiten wants the world to be a place where everyone is treated equally despite their sexuality and not be discriminated against based on their gender. Using his own body as a medium, and various techniques of photography, makeup art, costume design, fashion styling, and performing arts, he tries to raise his voice against sexual abuse, discrimination, mental health and inequality. Their performances are more about self-expression and self-love. The German embassy, Alliance Francaise, Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts and American centre also introduce his photography and performances in India and Abroad.[10]
Early life and background
Noonwal was born in Shahbad Daulatpur, Delhi, India, to Inder Singh Noonwal and Bugli Devi in a Haryanvi family. Their Father has worked as a Principal private secretary in Ministry of Home Affairs. From a young age, Hiten was very interested in art. They received their school education from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pitam Pura, Delhi.[11] They enrolled in College of Art for higher education in fine art after dropping one year of Geography ( H ) from Delhi University. Hiten told their father how art seems more fascinated to them. After having obtained a degree of BFA, they studied Apparel design and merchandising from NID. They have also learned Belly Dance from Banjara School of dance.[12]
Personal life
Hiten is the youngest of their four siblings. Two Sisters and two brothers. Hiten lives with their parents, brother, Bhabhi, nieces and nephew; Neha, Jahanvi and Bhavya.On 13th May of 2017, Hiten official came out as genderfluid person publicly because of an article published by Vegabomb magazine. This Magazine has listed Hiten among “Seven amazing genderfluid male dancers who are shattering stereotypes through dance”.[13]
Fashion Brand
- Ritu Kumar ( Label )
- Raw Mango
- Abhi Singh
- NUN
Associates Institutes for teaching
- NID, Gandhinagar
- NIFT, New Delhi
- NIFT, Rae Bareli
- NIFT, Kannur
- NIFT, Jodhpur
- NIFT, Bhubneshwar
- IIAD, New Delhi
- Whistling woods international, Mumbai
- TDV, Noida
- Vellore institute of technology, Vellore
- MIT, Pune
- Bhuddha College, Karnal
Jury member
- NIFT New Delhi
- Woxsen School of art
- Mobberra Foundation
Guest of honor
- NIFT New Delhi, Influencers Meet
- NID – Baatein Session
- IPA, Institute for Performing Arts, Gurugram
- GCW, Government College for Women, Karnal
- RG Dance Academy
Films
- A Change of heart: Protagonist
- Nothing but a human ( Documentary )
- Ayina ( Documentary )
- Map of me ( Documentary )
Awards and Nominations
- Comic con cosplay: Winner
- Max Design Awards: Finalist
- Ministry of Textiles, Pattachitra and rangoli: Winner
- Selfebook Cosplay Award: Winner
- Met Prom: Winner
- Sports Challenge, MGI: Winner
- More than 500 regional and national level awards: Art, Design and fashion
- Untitled World: Nominated Indian Queer Artist
References
- ↑ ""Not ashamed to dress like a woman", says gender fluid artist Hiten Noonwal". InUth. 2017-06-27. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
- ↑ Feb 14, Neha Chaudhary / TNN /; 2019; Ist, 01:00. "No special LGBTQI parties in Jaipur on first Valentine's Day post decriminalisation of sec 377, but everyone is welcome | Jaipur News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ↑ Service, Tribune News. "Workshop at women's college". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
- ↑ "'Drag'ging issues: In search of freedom and self-expression". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
- ↑ "Love in Times of Queer: For LGBTQ Desis, Dating Apps Also Mean Bigotry, Hate Crime". News18. 2021-07-02. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
- ↑ Godhawat, Jayati (2018-04-30). "Gender-Fluid Hiten Noonwal Narrates His Story Of Coping With Depression Through Bold Self-Portraits". Indian Women Blog - Stories of Indian Women. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
- ↑ "LGBTQ+ Creators That Are Taking Over Beauty Instagram". grazia.co.in. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
- ↑ BMO IFFSA Virtual 2021 | Nothing But a Human, retrieved 2021-07-20
- ↑ Apichatsakol, Mika (2020-05-07). "The #MetGalaChallenge Is Almost Better Than The Real Thing". Tatler Thailand. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
- ↑ "Under-rated Drag Queens Breaking The Gender Stereotypes". WMH India. 2021-06-08. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
- ↑ "PHOTOS: A glimpse of the InsideOut Art competition for LGBTQ+ artists in India". Hindustan Times. 2019-11-30. Retrieved 2021-08-12.
- ↑ "International Dance Day: Three men break stereotypes with ballet, belly and heels". The Indian Express. 2018-05-01. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
- ↑ Ramadurai, Charukesi (2021-06-25). "'Drag is political': the pioneering Indian event uniting art and activism". the Guardian. Retrieved 2021-07-20.