A personal tale of sustenance and survival 

From scribbling on the walls of his house tucked away in a remote village in Assam to being viewed as one of the upcoming contemporary artists today,
A personal tale of sustenance and survival 

NEW DELHI:  From scribbling on the walls of his house tucked away in a remote village in Assam to being viewed as one of the upcoming contemporary artists today, artist Kingson Swargiary, 35, has had quite a journey. Swargiary, who has an ongoing solo show, Ye Meri Roti Hai, at the India Habitat Centre, speaks to us about his work and more.

Through his current showcasing, Swargiary tries to comprehend the root cause for every human action. “The crucial element for human beings is survival, so to be powerful enough to survive, people fight over food, land, political power and so on. This is the case ever since the existence of mankind, and this is exactly what I’m trying to portray. Everything we do, we do it in search of peace, joy and freedom,” says the artist.  For a long time, Swargiary couldn’t comprehend why people migrate in search of work and a successful career. “But when I too found myself running behind my career, I understood that all humans need is to survive and survive in comfort,” the artist said, which gave him the idea of sustenance, upon which he based this entire show.

What he still can’t comprehend is sticking to drawing techniques, which he compares to being forced to eat rice and dal every day. “How mundane our life will be!” he exclaims, and adds, “So, when I want to talk about elements like peace, joy and freedom, I use whites, blues and reds. Bright colours dominate my canvas with the occasional browns and dark blues for deep emotions.” 

Swargiary’s interest in art arose when he found himself wondering why people read about others in newspapers. “When I asked my father, he told me that if I too do something good and meaningful in my life, people would also want to read about me. This really inspired me. I belong to the Bodo tribe in Assam, I was born and brought up in a small village which had no electricity connection up till two-three years ago. Since there was no exposure in terms of art, I would often paint on the walls or draw on the magazines, and with time started to work on it,” shared the artist, who graduated in 2011 from Delhi

College of Art. 
The artist now to create art installations on the paintings he’s showcased at this show.
Till: February 5
At: Visual Arts Gallery, IHC

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