M Sashidharan

The visual comments seen in your work on today’s living, materialism and the way we tend to bring our own downfall… Is this implicative of a negativism or pessimistic attitude towards mankind?
Pessimism gets woven into the whole idea of my work. I pick up from that kind of a negative aspect which has a certain type of irony to it and which can be projected as it is, or even heightened to a point of exaggeration. This...

The visual comments seen in your work on today’s living, materialism and the way we tend to bring our own downfall… Is this implicative of a negativism or pessimistic attitude towards mankind?
Pessimism gets woven into the whole idea of my work. I pick up from that kind of a negative aspect which has a certain type of irony to it and which can be projected as it is, or even heightened to a point of exaggeration. This would definitely be reflective of what I am working on.

So how do you start a work?
Many times a painting doesn’t happen as a complete image. I often start out with a single idea and allow the composition to grow. Thematically speaking, it is not always very arranged. My works are very independent of each other and I approach each subject in a varied manner. I am not convinced about having a stylistic continuity in my works, nor are my works very consistent in terms of themes. I enjoy diversity in material, subjects and my visual language. Regarding subject matter, I look at things what we all think about: for example: Fear …the fear of the unknown, of the stranger, of the voids. Also I constantly work on understanding the meaning of ones existence.

And when do you consider a work complete?
Often the visual begins with a pun in mind and when I achieve that while evoking a sense of meaning in the work, I don’t consider it necessary to continue. An idea achieved is my goal. It is quite dramatic, and I love the theatricality in my work and it is quite intentional. Some of the ideas are based on the street performers who move from one place to another. I lean towards a sense of rhythm, which is like of a suspended animation, a stillness which captures a state of helplessness. My work is like a’ freeze’ of a whole thought made into a single state of being.

You work either in a very large or very small format. Why?
Well, actually I don’t find the intermediate space very intimate. I need to have a combination of translucency and opaqueness otherwise the visual tends to looks dead.

So then what would a constant in your works?
Every work evolves from different resources. I don’t try to make them converge at any point. Each work has an individual incident of its own.

Do you see an element of abstraction in your work? In representation or even in the thought process?
The sort of abstraction I deal with is in terms of subjectivity. At times I try to reduce a certain kind of images or structure but there is no abstraction in the way I use the visual language. I find it interesting that there is a kind of abstraction in the proximity of thought and sight.

What are you working on currently?
Some ideas, more kind of singular object based works where the concerns are quite similar to my previous works. There are some new plans; I want to make works based on some literary sources, fictional as well as non-fictional writings, which I am researching now. There are also plans to do some 3 dimensional works in glass, metal etc.

Several of your earlier works depict ordinary objects of daily utility. How do they relate to the objective of your work?
The objects, they are as part of us as like any being. They have an identity, meaning of their own. Picking up an ‘object’ is not conscious and I don’t differentiate between an object and a human figure. The ‘object’ sometimes becomes more potential than any other element…..that, sometimes I want to deny all the existing meaning….say, what if you paint a tea cup without meaning….there is a tendency to read more into things when they are not…..the notional possibility of multiple meanings which I am trying to undermine……in certain works the objects are used, like a motif with a multi-layered symbolism…like the nails, spike….one can go on like this… I like meaninglessness in giving meaning to the objects. Ultimately it is very interesting how something of visibly obvious identity pulls the viewer to review its purpose of existence.

What is your preferred medium of work…sculpture or painting?
For me material is not the issue, it is just a means to achieve the end. Of lately I have been working in metal. The choice of material depends on the work…taking a medium to a level and how well it will incorporate my ideas to create the complete work. Material is not a taboo at all. Working in different mediums goes back to my training in murals.

Have there been any significant influences, which affected your work?
Humanist art and artist from various cultures, I would say influence me. I have learnt several things from literature especially from Latin American literature. I have always been interested in the flipping of things, in the unexpected juxtaposition of ideas, which I continuously use in my work. Primitive art, Egyptian Art, and Ajanta murals hold my attention for the manner in which flatness of surface is maximized to the optimum. The element of surprise and magical qualities that arise are very enticing.

What level of understanding would you want the viewer to have? What is your intention as an artist?
Actually it depends on the viewer. We are habituated to perceive things on the very basis of our own ‘need’. One of my interests in making images is to surprise/alter these habits. There is a possibility of different interpretations and meanings, which can alter one for more dynamic thoughts….

In a nutshell what part of your visual holds the crux on the entire artwork?
What is important is the placement of the images in the composition. My work often makes the viewer a participant of the moment. the dramatic positioning of forms and the way I use color/light are very important in the compositions. Most of the time I push the scale , surface and color to achieve a kind of physicality which is tangible….as if it is happening or just happened in front of you

How has teaching affected your work?
Teaching was something I was always interested in and when I begun my career it was a good option. I also felt that I had a responsibility to fill in the voids, which I felt as a student. Working in Baroda made it easy to fulfill both roles, that of a teacher and of an artist at the same time. Interacting with students makes one constantly search for new methods to make the subject interesting and this stimulates me as an artist as well. This interaction at various levels makes working more energetic.