Reflection, renewal, resilience: artistic insights on creative success

Launched in 2014, PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In the earlier 760 posts, we featured an art festival, cartoon gallery. world music festival, telecom expo, millets fair, climate change expo, wildlife conference, startup festival, Diwali rangoli, and jazz festival.

The works of 21 artists were recently showcased at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath in the exhibition titled The Pollen Waits on Tiptoe (see Part I of our coverage here). The name of the exhibition is inspired by the title of a translated book of 26 Kannada poems by poet DK Bendre.

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“We are creatures of emotions, from the time of our birth until death. Especially in current times of heightened stimulation, emotions seem to be all over the place, like pollen,” exhibition curator Manasa Raj tells YourStory.

Emotions span all spheres of our lives.

"From the personal realms to our surrounding socio-economic, political, and ecological conditions, emotions impact us at individual and social levels," she adds.

The artist lineup, some of whose works are featured in this photo essay, include Dimple Shah, Heena Pari, Koyal Raheja, Anavi Mullick, Marissa Miranda, Anavi Mullick, Vishal Kavatekar, Venugopal VG, and Koyal Raheja.

Artistic perception

“Art is a language that allows expression of thoughts, emotions, and experiences. I have been searching for the meaning of illusion and reality for the past few years,” Rani Rekha explains.

She was thrilled that audiences engaged with her reflective artworks and shared their views.

“When we are genuine, have a deep urge to express something, and work without expectation, we can create great artworks,” she adds.

Rekha is currently working on documenting her ancestors' work.

“I come from a family of royal painters,” she says. Her artworks are priced from Rs 35,000 to Rs 3.2 lakh.

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Praveen Kumar sees art as a means of bridging the gap between communities, documenting life experiences, and capturing moments in time.

“Art is not just something to admire, it is a catalyst for transformation and enlightenment in our ever-evolving world,” he says.

“Creating art pieces that resonate with viewers on a deep and personal level evokes strong emotions and conversations, and inspires change. Art plays an essential role in society by fostering creativity, empathy and understanding,” he adds.

Art fosters deep connections and provides new insights into identity and experience. “My work is a comment on the ever-expanding urbanism in our world," he describes.

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“My paintings reflect how humans are just constructing, deconstructing and reconstructing endlessly. It is important to question the need and purpose of this growth,” Kumar adds.

He sometimes incorporates brass elements in his work.

“I layered brass wire onto intricate pen and ink drawings, resulting in a fusion of artistic techniques. This is a nod to my lineage of coming from a goldsmiths’ family,” he explains.

The featured artists were also encouraged to step beyond their normal lines of work and explore new territory for the exhibition’s theme, Navarasa (nine emotions). Raj encourages audiences to discover their own emotions in each of the provocative artworks.

As a curator, Raj sees success as a combination of large audience reach, visibility for the artists, and commercial value to all stakeholders.

“Success is also in creating space for emerging artists, who do not often get a chance to display their works in galleries,” she adds.

Art appreciation

The curator and artists have a number of recommendations for improving art appreciation in society.

“Art should be more accessible to wider audiences, and art spaces should be designed so as to be less intimidating,” Raj suggests.

“One can learn about art from seeing. On viewing art, our ideas, thinking, and perspectives widen. Our horizons of thought expand, as artists as well as audiences,” she adds.

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Effective art can also spark insightful discussions and conversations, thus magnifying its impact.

“Art should be made more accessible and engaging to the general public,” Kumar suggests.

The work of local artists should be promoted through fairs, workshops, residencies, and increasing the number of galleries and museums.

Rekha calls for art education to be made compulsory in all schools. “Museums should be updated with diverse art collections,” she says.

Resilience and success

The artists also offer tips and advice to aspiring creators.

“Never stop learning and keep refining your art,” Kumar suggests.

Aspiring artists should study under experts, find mentors, and build a supportive community.

“Develop a strong work ethic and dedicate yourself to consistent practice and experimentation,” he adds.

“Remember that art is subjective and not everyone will love or understand your work. Still, stay true to yourself and your vision,” Kumar advises.

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As artists, learning from mistakes and failure is crucial in order to grow and improve.

“When faced with setbacks, artists have the opportunity to analyse what went wrong and identify areas for improvement,” he adds.

By reflecting on past failures, artists can gain valuable insights that can inform their creative process. This helps avoid making the same mistakes again.

“Experiencing failure can be a humbling and motivating experience that pushes artists to strive for excellence and push themselves outside their comfort zones,” he affirms.

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“Ultimately, bouncing back from mistakes and failure requires resilience, determination, and a willingness to learn from one's shortcomings," he affirms.

"This mindset and approach can help succeed in a competitive world,” Kumar signs off.

Now what have you done today to pause in your busy schedule and harness your creative side for a better world?

(All photographs were taken by Madanmohan Rao on location at the exhibition.)