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All images are exclusively the property and copyright of the artist Gloria Supatra Bhargava
All images are exclusively the property and copyright of the artist Gloria Supatra Bhargava
All images are exclusively the property and copyright of the artist Gloria Supatra Bhargava
All images are exclusively the property and copyright of the artist Gloria Supatra Bhargava
All images are exclusively the property and copyright of the artist Gloria Supatra Bhargava
* With each work, or as an artist as a whole, what do you wish to communicate to the audience, and how does this specifically effects the final work? Does this change with different works, or series, or does it remain the same with all of your creations? I think that when I started pursuing art full-time, I was naïve in the ways of the world. I was angry, and the angst was translated through expressing my art in very controversial new forms and audacious subjects. I remember juxtaposing two nude females on top of NYC skyscrapers in a lover’s embrace and called the piece, “Sex in the City”. I don’t think I would have done that today, not because I’m uncomfortable with nudity, but because it feels gratuitous now. I was trying to get a rise from the audience just for the sake of it, which just seems unnecessary to me today. I would say that my themes are more subdued today. Instead of focusing on world issues to draw inspiration from, I mostly create pieces based on my mood and experimentation techniques. I also focus more on making “beautiful” art that I would hang on my own walls, as opposed to art that only conveys message without being aesthetically pleasing.
* In a wider context, why do you think art is imperative for the world, and why is it important for you personally as artist? Art is so crucial because it opens up the world to more creativity; it captures a moment, memory, or imagination that helps move the world forward. I’m willing to bet that new innovations get stalled when society is not exposed to art. Art helps us all think outside the box and trains our brain to naturally be inquisitive and imaginative, such that makes the advancement of humankind possible. For me however, art is important because it relieves stress and allows me to unplug my mind and forget about the stresses of the world. It is as much a relaxation technique as it is a career.
*Your work has a strong physicality to it, the movement and drama of the collages and their energy, is intense. Does the creative process drain or energize you? And how do you know when a work is complete? I go between periods of being energized and being drained. The process can sometimes be very arduous and the more I overthink elements of the concept or of the methodology, the more it drains me. When this happens, I have to take a break; work on a new piece or watch a TV show before coming back to it. However, when I’m going through a sluggish period in my life, fantasizing about a cool concept will almost immediately lift up my mood, thereby energizing me. I oftentimes feel like my work is incomplete and will keep tinkering with more paint or images until I feel like there’s nothing more I could add to it, without it looking clownish.
* In your evolution as an artist, (both creatively, conceptually and pragmatically), what has been the biggest frustration or obstacle? The biggest obstacle has been to overcome my insecurities about creating. I sometimes get overly critical about my work or compare myself to other artists and then feel really inadequate. I constantly have to remind myself that the only person I need to compare myself to is me, and as long as I am growing as an artist and experimenting with new techniques, then I should at least be proud of the works that I create.
* Which of your works stands out as a highlight, favorite, or significant point in your creative growth and development? And why was it most significant to you as an artist? I would say that “Tradition in Trance” marks the period of highest growth for me up until now because that was the first time I started experimenting with gel transfers and had the idea of transposing a background image onto the subject’s face by using a clear gel. I’m very proud of that piece, and it was a lot of fun to make. It’s also important to me because that was when I felt like I was stepping out of my comfort zone and experimenting with new techniques and it actually worked.
* Artists always vary in the importance placed on communicating their own vision without question or limitation, and the emphasis and importance placed on the audience, and how it can and will relate to them. How do you feel when people interpret your artwork inversely, or is there one primary thing you hope to have the viewer experience? Most of my works are open-ended and I never take offense to inverse interpretations from the audience. I actually find it fascinating when people come up with different ideas and theories to explain my piece. It’s interesting because they often shed light on new concepts that I haven’t thought of, and the differences in opinions can lead to a very stimulating discussion about the messages and how it relates to the whole of society.
*Your aesthetic; while routed in fundamental art historical themes, is also very distinctive. I’m very interested in are artist with a unique vision places themselves within the art context; which other art and artists they are inspired and influenced by. Within the evolution of your artistic journey, have you found a specific affinity to certain artists, and if so, why? I think that I draw most inspiration from surrealist artists, but in terms of who I admire the most, Van Gogh would have to be up there. I remember going to the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam last year, and was so taken by the details of each brush stroke, the vividness of the colors, and the intensity of the subjects. Even his self-portraits (and there were many) were so morbid and self-critical. It’s astonishing that it only took him a couple of years from the time he decided to pursue art to when he started pairing opposite shades on the color wheel together. That takes a lot of dedication to the craft and he also shows his burning desire to constantly create; something that I can relate to. I want to be more daring with my color palette such as he had, and to learn from his techniques. Colors excite me, and I want to be able to use them in a non-restraining way, creating bolder textures from paint, and morphing a myriad of mediums into a colorful feast for the eyes.
* The creative approach is a very personal methodology, and every artist differs when it comes to their artistic process. How do you approach creation- can you elaborate on your working process in term of your approach to image making? I would describe my working process as being very erratic. I’m always experimenting with new techniques and mediums. Over the course of several years, I’ve evolved from being strictly a collage artist, to a mixed media artist.
Now, not only do I juxtapose images together, but I often like to play with the texture of the piece by burning the pages, using bubble wrap and spray painting together, and doing various gel image transfers. I find all these methods fascinating and I step out of my comfort zone every time I try something new.
*What are the principle themes and focus of your work? My themes usually revolve around controversial topics. I like depicting art that challenges viewers to think and feel. I want them to get angry at the state of the world – the racism, the gender inequality, and the social disparity gap. My hope is that someone somewhere will get riled up about these issues enough that they would do something about it.
All images are exclusively the property and copyright of the artist Gloria Supatra Bhargava
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