Thorns and Roses
Surekha Kumar’Installation
Important facet of artists’ creativity is to express their feelings and emotions in the art forms after imagining new thoughts. One of the developments in contemporary art field is working towards that artistic expression that reaches the audiences in totality. Painting and sculpture of conventional forms of visual arts’ is a silent expression. Sometimes that becomes lesser mould for the length of the expression needed to hold the sensitivities of artists’ imaginations and deeper meanings. To create the new means is the focus of artists of this century finding new methods to express the optimum. Visual artists began to find more methods than two dimensional languages of painting and sculpture. Surekha Kumar searches for meaningful methods.
Surekha lives and works in Banglore. She completed her graduation at Ken school of Arts, Banglore in 1985 to 90 and Masters Degree from Santiniketan in 90 to 92. She exhibited nationally and internationally also had remarkable fellowships to her achievements. She practiced beyond two dimensional language of painting. She is one of those important artists to be counted in Video installations, performances and photography and combinations. Whenever it is necessary to enhance the meanings she herself becomes part of the installations. She works on the themes of ecology, feminism, gender politics, etc. subjects dear to her heart.
We human beings encounter many interactions, sometimes appreciations yet another times rejections and refusals. Whatever may be the situation, one needs to control their body for outward behaviors and expressions. We have to instantly wear masks to hide our feelings and present civilized. There is an important meaning exists for every object and subject. For example, needle head is very important for the needle. She makes the needle and thread part of her installations and performances. Needle and thread are symbolic of women’s space also tells about the traditional craft/art works of women like embroidery, etc.
One of her performances/installations ‘Spaces of Silence’ are meaningful creations. Kitchen indicates women’ space, also we should not forget the atrocities/domestic violence that happens on women in the kitchen itself. Many a women keep a secret of domestic violence that they go through. As a result guilty people move around without any guilt. She made one installation to express that meaning. She filled the floor of the kitchen with blood red rose flowers. Does she mean, there are thorns too in the rosy smiles of women?