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MY JOURNEY

My interest in art began to be nurtured while playing with colours as a three-year-old. I have been expressing my thoughts and emotions through art since then. Art helps me engage withthe world and find new perspectives. I began spending time with artists Shomi Banerjee, MG Doddamani, and Shan Re. In 2011, I exhibited my exploration of colours and ink as part of a group show at Shreen Malani’s ‘Renaissance Gallerie’ in Cunningham Road, Bengaluru. In 2014, a solo show titled ‘Melange’ featured my exploration of human forms and faces, and architectural forms. This was held at Atta Galatta, Bengaluru.

In retrospect, art has been making me more sensitive to what’s happening around me. My interest in social issues emerged through this sensitivity. I enjoy travelling, especially cycling, because it helps me get a closer look at the lives of people around me. While experiencingand understanding the state of infrastructure for cyclists in my city, Bengaluru, I felt we needed better infrastructure, and civic participation could help with that. Getting shortlisted to become the Bicycle Mayor of Bengaluru in 2018 allowed me to meet other cyclists who shared this need and the enthusiasm for cycling.

Witnessing the effect of bullying at close quarters and reading about the numbing cases of sexual abuse that make headlines too often, I felt the need to understand the root causes behind these social issues. I also wanted to raise awareness about the effect of bullying and sexual abuse on young victims. I felt the need to understand the ground reality and initiated a campaign called ‘Speak Out!’ This involved cycling from Bengaluru to Mumbai while stopping at towns and cities, initiating dialogue and conversations along the way. This campaign was supported by creative individuals, social activists, bureaucrats, and NGO’s along the way. Art was a significant part of this campaign, as it broke down language barriers and helped express thoughts and emotions freely. As a prelude to the ‘cycle yatra’, I exhibited my artwork during an interactive event held in Bengaluru as part of this campaign.

Out of curiosity, I began subscribing to newspapers and magazines of different editorial sensibilities. Wanting to bring diverse perspectives together, I set up ‘TheGreyReview.com’, an opinion platform in 2020. I was scouring the newspapers and the net for writers and contributing a few opinion pieces while also spending some time studying economics. This experience led to my passion for understanding public opinion and political narratives, which has led to trips to meet local voters, party workers from different political parties, opinion writers, and politicians. Some of my experiences and my understanding are currently being captured in my writings.

The process of creating art inspired my interest in handicrafts. I began exploring various craft traditions and how different regional cultures were being preserved by travelling and interacting with artisans, travel guides, curators, folklore researchers, and creative professionals, largely in Rural Odisha, Karnataka, Mumbai, and Rajasthan. At present, I am attempting to promote diverse art forms and craft traditions through an upcoming project.