:: Anisha kothari ::

I like exploring materials and seeing the unexpected outcomes of bringing those materials together in a single frame. My artistic journey has evolved largely from where it first commenced.

I began my journey with a profound interest in painting faces. To me, every face told a story, only bits of which we, as onlookers, chose to recognise. I believe our insight into those around us was often a convergence of what met the eye and what we perceived through our own filtered lens. My choice of medium, to examine this relationship between what we saw and what we perceived, was pastel and charcoal. While I enjoyed the versatility of this dry medium, I occasionally utilised other mediums to create mixed media depictions of my subjects. I shifted back and forth between expressing without reserve, and highlighting the finer details with more precision, resulting in a more layered approach. In every face I painted, I told the story of my subject through my lens; but I also attempted to portray myself in the eyes of my subject and thus establish a relationship between us. I sought to mirror the constant tussle, that defined our relationship with ourselves and with those around us.

This process of applying layers of different materials, has paved the way for my work to move forward in interesting directions. While I still love painting faces, I am also exploring abstract representations of these same concepts using different mediums and techniques. The pandemic served as a cathartic moment for me, where I began to lose the perception of control and I had to surrender to the uncertainty. This translated into my artwork and I began expressing those raw emotions through my choice of materials and techniques. Unlike my portraiture where I was working toward an end in mind, my most recent collection reflects the loss of certainty in both process and result.

Regardless of the direction my art takes, my intention remains. I want to enlist my audience to experience my artwork, portrait or otherwise. I want them to reflect on themselves and the lens through which they view my creations and the interlay of materials I use to create them.

statement

focusing inward

them, myself and i

first impressions

others