Art is a medium that connects one across borders, be it geographically or culturally. What’s even better is when it is proved by one of our contemporary artists. Aishwarya Sultania opened the first series of exhibitions, Back From France, under the ‘Inview’ banner by Alliance Française de Delhi with her exhibition titled Unwrapping Time.
It was in 2010 when Sultania visited Paris as the recipient of the French Embassy-Krishnakriti, Fellowship award which allowed her to study at Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts. Unknown to the land and the language, she decided to make art her companion. “In order to make peace with the unfamiliar space I made the Eiffel Tower and roamed the streets of Paris. Since the structure was something they were familiar with, it made it easy for us to bond,” shares Sultania.
She believes that people should be able to communicate beyond languages, nationality and culture and bond at a human level. “This is not just about Paris, even when I was travelling to other countries in South east Asia, I found many who were conscious of not knowing a common language. A major concern that is reflected in my work is that there is not a single dictated way of communicating,” says Sultania.
Highlighting the unnecessary consciousness of the unknown language, the artist has put across curtains of poetry in various languages. “When one stands under these curtains they look similar. So the idea is to move beyond the language barrier and communicate,” shares Sultania.
It is not just the idea behind her work that captivates one but also the fact that Sultania’s work steers away from the known methods of art making. “Medium has never been a concern for me,” shares the young artist who uses threads very prominently in her work highlighting connection. She says, “It is all about pulling the threads of life together. They keep appearing and disappearing, both spiritually and metaphorically,” she says.
Till November 27 at Galerie Romain Rolland, 72, Lodi Estate.