‘Edges and Residues’ is the next step in my artistic journey, which has been focused on the act of tearing and peeling and examining its residual impact, through the traces left behind, in recent years. The process of tearing and peeling engages the interstitial space between the support surface and the layers of paint, ensuing each surface not only to leave its unique imprint on layers of paint but also to create ragged edges, symbolizing the act of tearing using force. This reciprocal relationship between the surface and layers of paint as well as social significance of the material used, is the main subject of contemplation in this series of works.
This series marks an extension of my recent quest of combining my process with social materials such as tarpaulin and jute, used extensively at construction sites in India and by migrant communities to build temporary homes. Created on divergent jute surfaces, these works conceal, reveal and embody patterns of Jute weaving. Materiality of jute offers a strong resistance to forces of gravity and tearing, creating unpredictable cracks, rips and edges in the paint skin, which are then assembled to create object like / sculptural works.
Oil paint and pigments are key materials in my work. In my process, oil paint, repetitively layered over weeks, is transformed into skins over time and then pulled down by fire and gravity. Delicate and temporary skins of oil paint, created through this process, are then arranged to create objects or installations in space.
The choice of white as the dominant colour in this series of works, emanates from a desire to use a colour that complements the process of tracing and highlighting patterns of various jute surface and also to use a colour that enhances the edges of the layers beneath.
