Artist Avijit Ghosh acts as the bridge between Kolkata and Paris through his creativity
Imagine looking at a canvas where you would find Mata Hari and Mary Magdalene together or Mirabai and Mary Antoinette in the same frame. Indian-origin artist Avijit Ghosh does just that. A first-generation artist from Bengal, a student of Santiniketan Kala Bhavan and NIFT, who has been settled in Paris for the past decade and a half, is the living bridge between the two cultures. While he explores creativity across different forms and media, his expressions ultimately boil down to storytelling. After dabbling in painting, puppetry, fashion shows, teaching, and more, he is now set to launch his writing in Paye Paye Paris. This Bengali book translates his experience and lessons in bringing these two cultures together. On the sidelines of his launch, he takes us through his experiences.
Excerpts:
What does travel give you that a studio does not?
Travel is an experience. Travelling and staying put in one place are two different things. If I choose to go to a country, I don’t go there as a tourist. I choose a place where I have friends so that I can stay with them, like them. For me, travel takes me back to the old stories and times from our ancient Indian civilization and folklore. Say, in my ancestral house, I have seen how my grandmother used to wash the feet of gurus with her hair, and in France it is believed that Mary Magdalene did the same to Jesus. In France, I got a chance to stay in Cite Universite Paris where 47 houses from every country and culture exist. This makes me think everything is one and channels my vision into a unilateral direction which intersects somewhere along the way. These inspire me to leave a trace and be content with myself.
Despite having two homes, does homesickness ever grip you?
I have experienced cultural sickness, not homesickness. I have missed celebrations and festivities and have tried to replace them by starting Holi and Diwali here. I have Durga Puja in my Indian home, and my foreign friends come over to experience it.
How do Parisians perceive India, and how do you draw the parallel for them?
I have met people like Shakti Burman and Anju Chowdhury and others from whom I have heard stories of old Paris. After that come the cosmopolitan locals. They know a lot about Indian culture, especially Bollywood or Indian gods and goddesses. There are many who have travelled to India and will speak to you about the country as if they have been living there forever.
When I came to study fashion here, an idea struck me, and I developed Indian Mythology in Fashion. Today we call France, the fashion capital. But in India, for more than 5,000 years, the images of Gods and Goddesses have depicted different saris, colours of the saris, hair style, floral headgear, weapons and accessories, and more. I think these are all fashion statements. The fashion that everyone is talking about in Europe today already existed in India years ago. At one point I was asked three questions —What is your name? Which country are you from, and what is your religion? Today I know how to respond to these questions by drawing parallels between Indian and French icons. Then came the Abhaya incident, and people started questioning me. That’s when I developed Debi, where I drew parallels with nature worship. That is also my work: to show different sides of the country.
One cultural territory which is still unexplored for you..
When people travel to India, they visit Agra, South India, or Rajasthan. In Kolkata, they come for the Ganges, Satyajit Ray, etc. They are not aware of Chandannagore as the first French territory here. I tell them stories. That is why my is interest in bringing my friends to Kolkata to explore the rich cultural heritage.
Was the approach any different while trying to put your feelings in words?
All mediums express the story I want to tell. What I am going through, what I see, and what I experience, becomes what I express. It sometimes happens through photography or fashion shows, sometimes through installations, puppets, theatre, or sculptures/art. I believe in expressing my thoughts with whatever resources are easily available. At one point, when creative forms could not sustain the canvas of my thoughts, I decided to move ahead with words and express my feelings in words.
What are your biggest realisations after living in Paris?
That even before an artist or designer, I am a human being, and the basic needs of a human —shelter, food, clothes etc, need to be fulfilled first. In Paris, everyone is an artist roaming around without any proper source of income or shelter. But I have migrated to another country. First and foremost, I have to be well settled; only then can I look into the other facets. During the day, I strive to sustain myself, and at night, I stay in deep thought with my creativity. And this comes from experience, mistakes, and determination to turn around.
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