From a Lost-referential Land
Anupam
Oppression and resistance lie in the same body. They are not separate entities. The body that suffers the state/ corporate/ brahminical/ white-supremacist/ imperialist/ islamophobic/ patriarchal repression, also resists and continues to struggle. Therefore, the challenge for an image-maker is to capture that particular moment/ pause/ transcending point where resistance and oppression meet, and being apart or together, it creates the possibility of dissensus.
Working as a propagandist taking notes, making layouts, jotting down, I realise that incomplete observations/ thoughts are important, but it is an invisible process. A poster, a banner, or a leaflet is used as a statement but the layers underneath are always invisible and are more personal in nature. Therefore, a diary is a place where one can express one’s failures, incompleteness, vagueness, inarticulateness and throughout the time-lapse all of these internal conflicts unknowingly creating ‘excess’. Excess can be understood as an amalgamation of multiple contradictions and it proposes different traces of history and I believe today a propagandist’s task is to compile an inventory of the traces that history has left in us.
In this set of drawings in response to Hakara’s 10th edition call called “Friction”, I have put together everyday empirical documentation through taking visual and written notes in my journal, that incorporates the experiences gathered from the socio-political resonances of my quotidian journeys, as well as social media information and interactions. And, these notes help me to precisely make digital/ handmade posters, festoons, banners, signages, and graffiti for different socio-political movements. In a way it helps me articulate and give form to my visual propaganda which is the core modality of my artistic practice.
Apart from displaying in demonstrations and public places, my works have also been strategically shown within the art gallery setups. However, through these strategical locations of my work, I am bound to create ‘excess’. It allows me to express an incomplete understanding of society. Therefore, it opens up multiple invisible layers of contradictions that otherwise our hegemonic system does not allow us to exercise or see. The idea of excess, therefore, does not come through a linear progression of history that overlooks other invisibilized layers or the ‘potentiality’ of something determined by the forces of capital. Rather, by contesting the normative structures, art practice can transform itself from a unitary identity to an identity that includes the other without suppressing the difference. Responding to these thoughts, these compositions are an attempt to visibilize the various layers and resistance practices of the marginalised sections.
Size: 6 in x 8.5 in (each, close view); 2017-2019
you are only arttist who working this way.I like your thought and work. I proud of you my friend. thank you anupam
Thank you so much, Ratna for your inspiring words…
Always ur work inspire me to work and kee my self involve in working class struggle. As the same struggle keep inspiring u to come up with more more art work on the layered inequalities in our society.
Amazing journey of learning from each other
Thank you so much comrade Abhilasha. I have learned lots from you. Yes, you are right this is about learning from each other. But in this art world, it is almost impossible to acknowledge collective’s inspiration contributions in one individual’s life and work. Just mentioning name is not enough at all.
These times when we are used to seeing so much of pretty pictures on our screens, Anupam’s images come hitting hard at our sensibilities. It is a difficult feeling to jump and scroll across the images as our wont is on this media.
Taking note of the kind of medium Anupama has used in these pictures one can only hope to see these works in person to relive the ‘excess’es that haunt Anupama.
This is friction of the kind that erodes and makes it tough to move ahead without caring.
Thanks for your thought-provoking notes.
Yes, for me Excess is not only the things that we collectively witnessing but also my personal inability to understand. Also excess is different and actually counter to the idea of surplus in the capitalist mode of production. Excess precisely pointing out excess of emotions, experiences, violence and resistance..assertion …
Anupam’Da You are our Inspiration!
I am so happy to see your fantastic artworks and the way, by which way you r presenting the incomplete society front of us.
Thank you.
Very nice, fantastic art work, Anupam, Do something on the present plight of Migrant workers in the time of Covid19 lockdown. Hoping you in New form
Dear Prabhat, thank you. If I did something in response to the current crisis I will surely share my observations and thinking. However recent migrant and immigrant crisis are historically rooted in labour politics and the very basis of the capitalist mode of production and in India this whole crisis is not new it exposes our castist socio-economic-cultural structure and its inequalities. There are new things aspects and contradictions raises in the recent event but structurally I think it still a historically rooted crisis.
Plz if you get a chance to see my earlier works and share your thoughts. then we can extend our discussion further I hope.
Your contemporary images and your palette creates a vibration into me again and again.
Fine & fantastic art work Anupam, Do something on the present plight of Migrant workers during Covid19 lockdown period
Nice and interesting works Anupam. best wishes
अनुपम के ये चित्र विचारोत्तेजक होने के साथ हमारे सौंदर्यबोध को बदलने या परिष्कृत करने में सक्षम हैं।
मुझे उनकी चिंतनशील भूमिका का यह वाक्य बड़ा मौजूं लगा-
“art practice can transform itself from a unitary identity to an identity that includes the other without suppressing the difference.”
Bajrang ji, sukriya apke appriciation ke liye. Apke lekh bhi hume bahut gahariyon se prabhabit karte hain…
The line you mention i liked too and belive … but we all know it is almost impossible… but art practice and its engagement with society can one day built some bridge, I hope.