Contemporary artist Debashish Paul hosted his first solo exhibition at the Emami Art Gallery. Named, A Thousand Years of Dreaming the exhibition consisting of stills, drawings, sculptures and a video was curated by Mario D’Souza. We spoke to Paul on the theme of this recently concluded exhibition which examined queer desires against the backdrop of small-town socio-political conditions.
Excerpts:
How do you interpret the exhibition, A Thousand Years of Dreaming?
A Thousand Years of Dreaming is a deeply personal and almost autobiographical exploration of my identity and queer desires. Situated within a cultural and spiritual framework, I see it as a dream cherished by queer people over a thousand years—their dreams of marriage, the right to love, and the desire to live freely according to their wishes within society like others. Set along the sacred banks of the Ganga in Varanasi, my performance draws on mythology and Hindu marital ritualistic elements to position queer existence within a broader, sacred narrative. This space, Banaras, traditionally a place of cleansing and salvation, becomes like a metaphor of queer liberation for me during the process. Through this exhibition, I aim to convey the beauty and strength of queer identity, highlighting a desire for acceptance, love, and spiritual connection.
What themes have you explored through the exhibition?
In this exhibition, I explore the elements of love, identity, ritual, and the societal challenges faced by queer individuals. Through a symbolic marriage ceremony with my lover and partner, I address the desire to form a queer family—a union that is both spiritual and transformative. I also delve into the idea of “second skin” to represent the masks queer individuals must wear to fit into heteronormative societies, as well as ideas of rebirth, liberation, and belonging within nature. The contrast between natural landscapes and urban exclusion emphasises the sanctuary found in nature and ritual versus societal rejection.
What was the easiest and most challenging part of creating the works for this exhibition?
For this project, I worked with materials that were entirely new to me, using latex rubber for costumes and sculptural installations. Handling and manipulating these materials was particularly challenging. I worked with my partner in the performance film, which we shot almost in a single take without rehearsal. Since he’s not from an art background, I was concerned about how he would perform, but he handled it so well with surprising ease. One of the biggest challenges was performing in the heavy costumes for a long period and carrying everything through the mountainous terrain and the expansive sandy areas.
Upcoming works?
My next work will be exhibited in the upcoming Art Fairs in India. After completing the work for the fairs, I aim to take some time for in-depth research, focusing on experimenting with body movements in my performance practice. I also plan to study Indian queer history and explore queerness within Indian mythologies, both of which will deepen the conceptual framework of my work.