HYDERABAD: They say talent can take one places. Literally proving it true, 36-year-old city-based artist and educationist Sunil Lohar recently returned from a six-week ‘Artist Residency’ programme at Bordeaux Metropole, France. So how was his experience?
"It was excellent and inspiring. Europe is known for its art and culture. As an art student, I have read a lot about European art and French artists. I have visited many museums, including Musée d’Aquitaine, which has a fantastic collection of rare objects of Bordeaux, the Louvre in Paris, which houses the Mona Lisa portrait, among others," says Sunil.
On the medium used, Sunil says he loves to paint in water colours as they are organic and suit his subject matter, which is nature. "Shared experiences and everyday thoughts are an important source of inspiration for me, which appear directly in my artworks. The series of water colours in which I showcase the burden and the invisible weight of pride, responsibility or desire, is an example," he explains.
Using metaphors, Sunil says he looks to highlight individual actions or emotions that come together to create a story, a common allegory. In this sense, he reflects society, wherein we aspire to our dreams, desires and commitments, whilst also making up the pieces of something bigger that goes beyond us.
With images that may appear evanescent or dreamlike, Sunil however insists on the necessity of a strong theoretical base that should accompany every artwork. "Presently, I am engrossed in reading and understanding the varied aspects of painting, its elements and their respective potentials. I believe that an artist must be answerable about his work. Every action in this world has a reason and intention, so art and expression must not be an exception," he informs.
Sunil gushes about the joy witnessed in the streets of Bordeaux. The productions created during his stay reflect the city, its history of slavery, the architecture of CAPC Museum of Contemporary Art of Bordeaux, and other aspects, comprising water colours with fine lines that represent iconic architectures. During the programme, Sunil says he had also given a presentation about Indian art and aesthetics at Bordeaux University.
With a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from MMK College of Visual Arts, Gulbarga, and a postgraduate degree from University of Hyderabad, Sunil Lohar is currently pursuing his PhD in Visual Arts at the Centre for Exact Humanities, IIIT Hyderabad, where he is also a lecturer in ‘Art & Aesthetics’ subject.
In October 2015, a cooperation agreement was signed between Telangana and Bordeaux Metropole for cooperation in the areas of sustainable urban development (water management, urban transportation, etc.), exchange programmes in information technology, aeronautics, biotechnology, and other cultural, tourism areas.