Boundaries & Transcendence

The most beautiful yet terrifying thing about art is that there is nothing constant about it, no set path. In truly every sense, it is like life itself. Art has always been a medium for self-exploration and seeking for me. It has and keeps pushing me to rethink the rules that shape my art from time to time. It almost seems as if the art in me has a life of its own and is on a journey of finding the most honest form of expression through me.

I started off with forms and objects in my work and found myself gravitating towards abstract art over time. To me, abstract art is synonymous with freedom. Once the strict boundaries of form broke, I saw a whole new world come alive and immortalise the stark nakedness of my feelings, thoughts, explorations and emotions. I rethink even the very basic rules that I have learnt at art school and I often mull about what rules mean.

In one of my class at Art school, my teacher had once quoted a Picasso ‘to break the rules you have to know them & know them like a pro’ and this has stayed with me. Playing with boundaries, testing them is an intrinsic part of being an artist. In my experience, rules are often like training wheels. They help when you are beginning to explore a certain kind of art but later the art itself takes over and urges one to go beyond. This is often a deeply personal journey for an artist.

When exploring the deepest parts of ourselves through art, rules can sometimes be the only guiding star and losing sight of that to dive deeper can be nerve-wrecking. But, the adventure has always been worth it. Every time I stand in front of the canvas I discover something new. The growth, freedom and discoveries are scary yet cathartic. In the whole process, I see myself and art starting out as two different entities, dimensions of the same spirit coming closer and closer to becoming a single inseparable entity.

Mark Rothko said, “My painting surfaces are expansive and push outward in all directions or their surfaces contract and rush inwards in all directions.

Between these two poles, you can find everything I want to say”

To bring such pure honesty to the canvas and let it become life itself instead of just reflecting life, transcendence of rules becomes a mandate. It does require courage and an unwavering sense of commitment to the truth. But, look at what it creates!

Thoughts of the Artist ~ written by Shravya Indukuri

Evolution in Lockdown

The work that we do is really an extension of ourselves, isn’t it? I have been thinking about evolution and how our work can push us to go beyond who we are. Whether we do it consciously or not, every single action of ours is trying to get us somewhere, a better place.  Being an artist, I am able to see myself in my work more profoundly. The evolution is more noticeable, the explorations are more literal. The urge to transcend what is and explore what lies further drives my work. Every input I get from around me is shaping me and my art at every moment. 

However, the downside is that there are times when it all becomes overwhelming and I need to find constant sources of inspirations to go on. I usually turn to music, books or philosophy. But, during the lockdown, one of the interesting turn of events for me as an artist has been the access that I gained to many other forms of inspiration online.

For example, Art Basel’s online viewing room, Mumbai Gallery Weekend on Instagram, Foundation of Art & Culture hosting conversations about art, etc have all been made available virtually. The horizons have widened and the implications are beautiful. These sessions and experiences online are like sanctuaries amidst all the uncertainties of this time.

There is one particular quote from these sessions that I want to tell you about. Prabhakar Kolte said this one line that goes “To understand black, become black”. It has stayed with me and changed the way I look at my work.  It is such a powerful thought and my mind is exploring all the layers of it. I look at black now and I see acceptance, I see a reflection of myself. It is a point of evolution for my work.

With access to so much more inspiration through the internet, most of us have crossed paths with ideas, inputs and experiences that we couldn’t earlier. What among all this has moved you the most and how has it changed you? I leave you to reflect on this until we meet next :)

Thoughts of the Artist ~ written by Shravya Indukuri

The dimensions of spaces

Spaces are interesting. A concrete building could be nothing or everything depending on who decides to live there and what they do there. I’m sure all of us are seeing how much our lives are influenced by physical spaces especially when we are confined to four walls in the prevailing situation. To further explore the meaning of what spaces can become, as well as to let you visit a new place albeit virtually, I decided to take you through a tour of the ground zero for my art – my studio.

My studio is a 2 BHK apartment located in a quaint corner of the residential society that I live in. I work from all over the apartment depending on the process and the two bedrooms function as separate areas that are integral to the process of working with resin. The entire apartment is done up in a way that is a reflection of all that I love. There are random things collected from my travels, a photo-wall of loved ones, some indoor plants, and lots of bells (love them!). The place sounds serene thanks to the constant chirping of birds outside. 

When I go to my studio, I listen to podcasts, watch documentaries, journal my thoughts and sometimes just reflect on my thoughts when I’m not creating art. I feel completely free when I am at my studio and it feels as if time has slowed down. It is a space where the subtleties of my own energy get amplified and I can be exactly who I am. It is bustling with energy when I want to and when I want to be still, the place becomes still. I wouldn’t call this place home, it is so much more volatile when compared to the stable cocoon that a home is. But, this place calms me down and kindles my mind and heart. 

Sometimes, I just sit and stare at my own work, accepting a state of nothingness in my mind. Journeys of self-discovery start off. I question what art is, who I am, what the world means to me. And, the most beautiful thing is that since I create art in this place where I have infinite freedom, the art that I create comes from a deeply honest place within me.

I have often wondered if this magical setting of my studio is a physical one or a mental one. Maybe both of these go hand-in-hand. I have tried to experience the freedom of my studio at home and other places but I haven’t been able to. As an artist and as a person, the opportunity to let myself completely free is so precious and is closely associated with my studio space. The physical space probably provides the perfect base for the mind to build its own safe space within. And, when a place is associated with you, maybe it becomes more and more of that as time goes by. 

It is very important to have such spaces, isn’t it? Do you have a space that is completely ‘you’? What helps you build and protect such spaces? And, when you are completely true to yourself in such spaces, isn’t there a beautiful sense of catharsis? 

I hope you enjoyed the little peek into my studio and related to my thoughts about it. Stay safe and well and I will meet you again in a few weeks ☺ 

Thoughts of the Artist ~ written by Shravya Indukuri