Tao Art Gallery’s first NFT show will be launched by Viraj Khanna. The young artist’s solo show What My Mother Didn’t Teach Me… & Some Things She Did! Will go on till April 3. The show, as described by Khanna, builds up the narrative using different elements from various magazines, encyclopaedias, with the primary base being a paper collage. We caught up with him to know how his art is adapting to this rapidly changing environment.
What was the inspiration behind this exhibition?
This show is created thinking about the influence of society on individuals. As social animals, humans beings tend to conform to a certain set of rules. There is a socially accepted way of behaving, dressing etc which we follow and thus there are many layers to individuals. My artwork portrays the different layers that we have as people living in a society.
Was the pandemic creatively satisfying?
The pandemic just gave me an opportunity to express myself. I don’t think I would ever be doing something creative if it wasn’t for the pandemic. Since I was a kid, I’ve always only thought about being the twin who would handle the business side of things and Vishesh would be taking care of the creative side.
What do you make of virtual art exhibitions?
I don’t think anything can beat the physical presence aspect of shows. When you physically look at an artwork there is so much more that you can see. What I find really interesting sometimes is the work underneath a work! Many times we can see ‘over painting’ or re painting etc. and that is something we cannot identify virtually.
Who are the artists you look up to? How does an artist maintain his/her originality without being influenced?
I really enjoy the work of Kaws, Wangechi Mutu, Dana Schutz to name a few!
My process always begins with a paper collage. I cut up various different elements from magazines and start combining them. Since nobody else can find the same elements in the same sequence, the artwork is always going to be original.
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