Artist Shiv Kumar Soni’s exhibition, Treasure Trove of Childhood Memories, is going on at The Project Café in Goa. The exhibition is a cohesive presentation of art, food, music and design woven around the curated polychromatic artworks of the young artist. The exhibition is being curated by Kirti Parihar. It is co-hosted by Samira Sheth, an independent Art curator from Goa. The exhibition is on until 31 January. Soni spoke to The Daily Guardian.
Excerpts:
Puppy on the Drive
Flying with kites
Butterflies over the face of puppy
Q: Tell us something about yourself.
A: I was born in 1992 in a goldsmith family in Churu district of Rajasthan. During my school days I used to draw on walls of my house using a chalk or pieces of bricks. Day by day that interest increased and I enjoyed the process. After my schooling I joined Rajasthan School of Arts, Jaipur and completed my Bachelors in Visual Arts in 2013. Along with my Bachelors I participated in group exhibitions in Jaipur in 2011 and 2012 organised by Jawahar Kala Kendra and Lalit Kala Academy. Since then I have done many solo and group exhibitions, some of my key shows are
Q: What made you become an artist?
A: My first choice was to draw and paint when I started to understand things around me. During my school days I would do more artwork than homework of other subjects. Doing art was like a routine for me since my early adolescent days. Eventually I bunked classes and came back home to do something creative and that would give me immense joy. So my art practice started quite early; I don’t remember how and when I chose to become an artist, I think it was my everyday ritual which is followed till now. I love working full time as an artist and would want to enjoy my time in this field.
Q: Tell us a little bit about “Treasure Trove of Childhood Memories”. What inspired you to create this work?
A: During my childhood I would stay on the terrace most of the time and while sitting there for hours I would draw/paint the birds, clouds, rainy sky, kites etc. I was mesmerised by them in my childhood so I decided to paint those things in my compositions. For my current series I worked on these compositions as I think childhood memories and dreams are no less than a treasure of life for human beings. Curator Kirti Parihar and I discussed to exhibit them and I started working on it for the exhibition.
Q: How much time did it take you to complete the art pieces for the collection?
A: It depends upon the design of the creation. Sometimes a painting finishes within one week or so and sometimes it takes two-three weeks to a month, so it totally depends on the concepts and objects in the painting.
Q: Each painting from the collection has a different story, tell us which one is closest to your heart and reminds you of your childhood.
A: Butterflies on the face of the puppy is my favourite amongst this collection. One fancies a particular thing in their childhood and wants infinites of those, for example, toys. A child would not be satisfied with one or two but would want to have a number of them. Likewise, I was enchanted by butterflies in my childhood and wanted to have a number of them around me, hence this is my favourite of all works. It truly shows the objective of my collection.
Q: Your views on the art world and the art market in India. Do you accept that art is instinctively an elitist activity or are things changing in India?
A: Yes, as we know that art market in India is very small in comparison to other developed countries. Main reason of this is that art education is not a part or a priority in the syllabus. So it should be improved, and to an extent now art is being accepted by parents as a career. However, in today’s times, through print and social media interactions people are engaging with art and artists a lot and I can see the contemporary art market gaining momentum in a few years. Also, the notion of art being an elitist object has got cracks in it and more and more millennials are buying art and showing interest in making art a part of their portfolio.
Q: Tell us about your latest exhibition at The Project Cafe? What is the one thing you want each visitor at TPC to take back with them after going through the art pieces?
A: I would like viewers to forget the hustle bustle of their metropolitan life and get back into flashbacks of their own childhood memories and start smiling and laughing, enjoying when they stand in front of my paintings. I am sure everyone who visits my show will relate to at least one of the artworks, and this has happened. During the show I got feedback from the curator that some people related to the curly hair and some to the innocent flamboyance of the protagonist “puppy”. It gives me immense joy to see that all age groups connect to my work some or the other way.
Q: Why did you choose The Project Café Goa to showcase your work? How did it help you as an artist?
A: The location of the project cafe is good and Goa is a very good place for holidays, tours and people are in a relaxed mood. Also, many people have moved to Goa post the first wave and are doing their up homes. Moreover, the curated audience in The Project Cafe is always remarkable. I have seen their past exhibitions and what I like about their presentation is that it’s an experiential space and not a regular gallery. They create multidisciplinary events around art which makes it even more interesting and engaging with the viewers, so we planned to do a show here.
Q: Is there a subtle message for our society that you are trying to convey through your work, “Treasure Trove of Childhood Memories”? What are your future plans?
A: I just wish that during tough times people remember some good memories from their childhood days, something that can bring a smile to their face and can make them time travel to those days for a few seconds. That’s what I try to do with my work and that’s what I wish for all.
So far I haven’t planned anything in specific for myself but wish to work till the last breath of my life.