Curator Aakshat Sinha spoke to Upasana Singh about giving artists free thought bubbles
Art is not just about the creator’s vision but the viewer’s interpretation of it. This aspect was most evocatively depicted by around 44 artists at a group outing recently in mixed media.
One of the most visionary ideas was depicted in the work of Prasanta Kalita, who has used wires in his paintings. The artist’s own experience made him believe that an understanding of visuals comes from the knowledge of real and unreal, dream and drama. “I am an abstract painter and my work comprises the symbolic representations of all desires, social systems, value systems, power and socio-political adversities in the surroundings. I don’t restrict myself to see a dream and, therefore, I consider that nothing is absolute, it only transforms from one form to another.’’ The artist, who belongs to Assam, has also showcased his works at the international art fair.
Shafali Wadhawan showcased present-day struggles of women beyond cause-related “isms.” Said she, “I believe human beings are so wrapped up in themselves and the routine that somewhere it limits their thinking process which does not let them see the bigger picture of their dreams.’’
Discussing the idea behind the exhibition, curator Aakshat Sinha shared, “The artists’ works in this exhibition were not restricted to a particular theme. They had the freedom to unveil their creative minds.’’
Apart from wire, artists used charcoal, ink and even waste paper. What really caught our attention was that most of the canvases were small, the intention being to help narrow down the viewer’s focus to the concentrated detailing.
The curator himself had put up a dramatic artwork — red lips surrounded with empty speech bubbles — as a statement piece of protest art. Said Aakshat, “My idea was to display the present scenario of India where people generally choose not to speak or take a stand for themselves. Therefore, the empty speech bubbles signify your decision to not speak out or air your views.”
Expressing his thoughts about young artists, Aakshat believes that an artist must travel, both literally and metaphorically, to invest their works with a richness of experience. “Just because you are young, doesn’t mean that you can get away with the inexperience. It’s purely your job to get that experience,” he added.
Asked about the selection process, he shared, “I started with people I know around myself, ensuring that each artist had something new to showcase. They were selected with the aim of showcasing the diversity of Indian art and delivering the message that Indian artists have more to show than just the traditional background of India in their paintings.’’