Shivakumar Sunagar
Towards Abstraction ...
an Interview with the Artist
Art is not Painting nor Sculpture nor theatre : an idea can be expressed in any medium,
..if you paint you are a painter not an artist. being an artist is a much wider term ..
If we find all the answers we will cease to exist. Artists start their journey at the mid point of the spectrum, from there their journey takes them either towards realism or towards abstraction, the two opposing end points of the spectrum. we all just walk the path and learn endlessly, if we ever did reach either point we would be gods.
for absolute abstraction is nothingness, the spiritual void and total realism is life !
Deviba : How did “Art” happen ?
S.S : I m from a technical engineering background but there was an attraction to colour and i would be intrigued by how light and timing effected the beautiful landscapes. Certain images from childhood have left quite an impact on my visual memory and played an important part in shaping my work at the initial stages. i Knew i wanted to be an artist ! I have done my bachelors in fine arts from CKP and M.F.A from Bangalore University
Education teaches us the alphabets. what we choose to do with them is up to us. we use it as a tool to express what is within us. one can use words to write prose or poetry ..or to write a documentary. I learnt what i did about colour and theory but from there on my professional life has been my own journey. it is what lies inside .
Communicating this inner side it is what makes us artists . when u start to pour your heart into your work you develop your own style. it defines who you are .
Deviba : What diff mediums do you work in and what is the medium of choice ?
S.S : Stone, Metal, Fibre, Painting in Oil & Watercolour : of these I love watercolour the best because of its simplicity and the challenging nature of the medium, it is a little out of control. it is a challenge everyday, every single time.. each time I paint it is as if it asks me “what can we can do today ? .. lets see !” it’s unpredictable how the colour will flow in the water and what forms it will take on.
Deviba : Tell us more about your work, particularly the process
S.S : largescale works are more appealing to me I use the full imperial size even for works from nature - gives me more playing field. The space confronts me and deal with it is exciting. I stretch a canvas and sit in front of it for a long time ..a blank canvas scares me !
I often look at a blank canvas and think it is complete - just as it is. When you put the first stroke of colour on it suddenly it is out of balance. Then you add something to balance that then another line to counter balance that and then a dab of paint where the emptiness is glaring and so the game begins ..
My work process is spontaneous. I work directly on Canvas or Paper without much fuss about pre planing or sketching. I have tried sketching, but when its done it’s done. It looks complete to me ..the moment has passed, it has given me joy and the idea has been executed, it takes on a life of it’s own i do not see the need to redo it on a canvas or transfer it to another medium.
D : As an artist what influences you the most ?
S.S Nature ! because it constantly changes. It is the light that hits the subject and gives it life .. it is different everytime, everchanging ..ever evolving.we all copy nature, in its million moods.
D : name one artist you wish u had met and why ?
S.S : Vasudev Gaitonde
I love his abstraction what his work stands for and what he has done. when I began to understand his work I fell in love with it.
D : Describe your current work is there a lot of abstraction ?
Yes. most definitely ! Landscapes in abstraction is what I m involved in. The major essence of my work is colour, to me colour has sound, taste, feel smell and even a vibe. I experience it all when i work. There is more to it that what u see, what the work is about.. I experiment and use colour in different ways. It has warm shades and the cool ..thats part of what you know but when colours are used in a certain way they change in their meaning.
After a while the colours start speaking to you
D: what separates your work from others ?
S.S : i would like to believe that my work holds a space of its own, having said that to be my work is different because I have managed to simplify a colour withour damaging it or diluting its impact.
Delicate is not Week. The smallest patch or hint of colour can be very powerful.
D : Did u always paint abstracts ?
S.S : Starting with realistic work the move towards abstract has been gradual. now most of my landscapes are abstract. “Imli khatti hai par imli ka khattapan bataneke liye abstract ki taraf jana pada.” - tamrind has a sour taste but it’s best expressed with an expression rather than trying words to describe the exact taste. It was like that with painting and trying to explain the essence of what I was portraying.
D: where do you see yourself a few years down the line ?
S.S : Happily painting. not worrying about anything else, Just Painting !
I ve had the Pleasure of knowing and seeing Sunagar's work for a while now. Hope you find it as refreshing as I have. For more info on his work please feel to contact Us
-Deviba.
