Hello Surabhi and welcome to NotRandomArt. The current issue is revolving around the problem of communication and identity. Is there any particular way you would describe your identity as an artist but also as a human being in dynamically changing, unstable times? In particular, does your cultural substratum/identity form your aesthetics?
Hi, thank you for inviting me to discuss my art in length on this platform. Most of my work is a question associated with one’s existence in the society. Our existence is fleeting in nature, changing with time, in time. Identifying oneself is an ongoing struggle in the society. Due to the prevalent social stigmas it becomes hard to be true to yourself, thereafter one merely succumbs to despair. As an artist, I feel it is equally important to be honest with your art, my artworks are unique and has a stark identity that addresses my concerns in these dynamically changing, and unstable times. It is very difficult to segregate my artistic identity from my personal human identity, both overlap in one way or another. It is through my art that I mostly communicate my concerns- a blank paper is my medium for the expression of feelings, emotions, ideas that I hide under my outer shell. It has become an act of self-care for me. The times have changed rapidly- for the good and the bad, it is important to protect yourself and I do it through my art. My works act as a shield for me. My attempt is to communicate the social hurdles that we face today. For instance ‘On top of the Crown’ - a plaster sculpture with glass wax and gold leaf refers to the practice of nepotism. Our words and actions should be mindfully presented. In the words of Gandhi, ‘see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil’. Here, I am referring to the cause and effect relation, in other words our actions have an effect on external sources- be it humans or the natural environment. Our present actions have a retrospective effect in the distant future and this is so called ‘Karma’.
I am from Kolkata, India, culturally known as the ‘City of Joy’. My aesthetics are not particularly pertaining to my cultural identity. Our everyday surroundings have a lot to do with our identity, and in my opinion it does alter one’s identity to an extent. However on the whole, my aesthetic is a natural result of my artistic technique. I allow my art to flow and transform with time.
Would you like to tell us something about your artistic as well as life background? What inspired you to be in this artistic point in your life where you are now?
I have always been an avid artist. I never received any kind of professional introduction to art until later in life. My inspiration was purely derived from the pre existing works of art, so I was lacking to identify my own originality. My art education was only limited to what I was taught by my mentor. Art should restate facts (personal, social, cultural and political happenings) in a visually promising manner, which I was not equipped to do at that time.
I went on to pursue my artistic career in England where I received optimum exposure. Over the years I have evolved as an artist, experimenting with new ideas and mediums. It has been a challenge to be where I am now, but being patient did the trick. I was inspired to expose my thoughts to the world in a rightful manner. Visual ideas that would make one inquisitive to know further about it. Some of my artworks are also an outburst of a particular personal experience. ‘How to Unwound the Wound Oppressed’ was created at the time I moved back to my hometown. The change was drastic - the way I coped with this challenging experience inspired the process of making the sculpture. With my artistic creations I derive a sense of freedom.
Could you identify a specific artwork that has influenced your artistic practice or has impacted the way you think about your identity as a participant of the visual culture?
During my time at The Slade School of Fine art, I developed my very own printmaking technique where the printmaking plate was made out of plaster and multiple prints were taken thereafter. The process of taking prints from the plaster plate was more of a meditative one- rolling the ink, marking where to lay the paper and applying the right amount of hand pressure; this was repeated over twenty times. I wanted to share this meditative experience with everyone. I titled it ‘The Anthropoid Within I’ - as the prints had every little part of the ecosystem which was trapped within the triangular imprint.
In the month of March, 2019 I got the opportunity to stage my prints in the form of an installation. With mirrors, lightboxes and the prints came ‘The Anthropoid Within I’ into being. The installation urged one to use their body as a transient living entity- almost like an art object. The three suspended mirrors were labelled as - ‘I Exist’, ‘You Exist’ and ‘We Exist’. By positioning oneself in front of any of the mirrors, the stance engaged one with their own reflection.
To a certain extent, the mirror was framed like an artwork in addition to the light boxes and prints, converting you and your gaze into the art itself. My intention was for the viewer to stop and stare at themselves, look within themselves - something we are not accustomed to amidst our busy lives. What would emerge is a meditative reflection. In order to make it more interactive, a portable triangular mirror was kept alongside, the reflection of which could be projected all throughout the space. One’s body along with the mirror in their hand is treated like a found object, a tool to rethink where one places themselves in their current surrounding environment and society.
This specific artwork rose a lot of questions in my mind in terms of my identity. What makes me a conscious being? Why it matters that I am? What is the mind? What is the body? Am I unconsciously conscious? What is physical reality? It is because of consciousness, that we experience — but we also experience dreams while asleep, so are we conscious or unconscious while asleep? I realised my identity is provisional, for a matter of fact it is for everyone. Identity for all is temporary and at times highly malleable too. We are highly influenced by what we see, experience and hear.