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
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