The decision to employ a medium, use one material against another or completely avoid materiality has a resounding impact on experiencing the art work itself. These choices also stylistically define the work. At the same time, the decision to go with archival paper or “glitch” noises transport us to a time when certain inventions were made or popularly used. It is often in this process of determining how one produces art,  where the magic of art is uncovered.

In this post, we are in conversation with artists Meenakshi Sengupta, Saurav Dubey and Sindhu Thirumalaisamy – each working with a different medium and often with more than one medium. While Saurav’s work on display draws on technological errors reflected in visual and audio interfaces, Meenakshi works with visiting cards in one project and the saree as a discursive space in another to mobilize discussions of power, sexuality and the object’s representation across historical texts. Sindhu’s sound and text film seeks to make us embody the experience of a hospital, its activities, people and surroundings. She adds, “I enjoy working with sound because I feel like it sparks the imagination in much more unpredictable ways than images do. But I’m open to playing with whatever mediums and technologies suit the context I’m working in.” while Meenakshi says, ” I choose the medium according to my ideas; it does not matter what medium I am using, irrespective of two-dimensional paper, video, performance or any other medium, but depends on how best I can communicate my thoughts.”

Artist: Saurav Dubey

About me: I completed my M.V.A from college of arts & crafts, Lucknow and B.V.A from college of arts & crafts, Patna.

My work: The work in the exhibition is an extension of my earlier project which concentrates on the concept of “ERROR” in transmission between communication ports. (Glitch). Present work is titled “ERROR+IMMATERIAL” which is a screen projection and plays an error  video of Martin Luther king. Jr.’s  famous 1963 revolutionary speech “I have a Dream”.

This  relates to the error + revolution in human history and digital revolution + error today. The concept of error further investigates the immaterial in material their relationship, laws and process to attain an abstract void trough the concept of Hinduism according to Vedas & Upanishads in relation to digital error where the visuals in video is abstract and presence of sound satisfies the concept of ERROR + IMMATERIAL.

@PEERS Share: The peers share was very productive, unique and motivational experience to share, discuss and to know each other’s work process with the participating artists and well known  contemporary artists, curator, critics, in India. I would like to thank KHOJ and its entire team for organizing Peers share. Ethiraj Dattatreyan’s grant writing workshop & How to conceptualize and improve your work effectively.

Artist: Meenakshi Sengupta

About me: I had my formal training in painting; I started my work exploring a vast area of miniature painting and Indian mythology. Thus I choose the technique of miniature painting to initiate my ideas. I deliberately combine icons of “High” art and mass culture to redefine their role as cultural signifiers. In process I feel the necessity to work with other mediums as supportive to my ideas.

My work: In this exhibition I am showing a set of 108 visiting cards in the name of 108 names of Krishna. I collected visiting cards from people of various socio-political-professional backgrounds and manipulate them with 108 names of Krishna. It is in a way generalization of the idea of Krishna. These cards look real but all are fake cards. It is my surroundings, the complexities of contemporary life, my identity in this socio-political context inspire me in my work.

@PEERS Share: It was an excellent experience in Khoj during PEERS share programme. The best part is I got to know about my contemporaries, their practices, thought process and how they interact with my work, not only my peers but also the response of a broader audience.

Artist: Sindhu Thirumalaisamy

About me: I studied at Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, where I did my major in video production.

My work: The work I’m showing here was my undergrad thesis project. It is a sound-and-text film, based on an audio walk I created for a hospital in Coimbatore. I usually start making something based on an encounter, or an experience. I find that I’m often delving into ‘restricted’ spaces.

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About PEERS Share:

PEERS Share is an exhibition to showcase diverse artworks by ten young artists. PEERS is a Khoj flagship residency program that runs annually to encourage and support young and upcoming artists. PEERS residency program receives many applications each year and we are only able to accommodate a few selected applicants for the actual residency. In a bid to extend the conversation, Khoj introduces PEERS Share – an informal dialogue and exhibition with ten applicants who also made it to the short list of the residency.