After solos in England and Pakistan, Shivani Aggarwal makes her debut in India. She talks to Deepanjana Pal about how she rose to the occasion.
You went to Wimbledon School of Art after studying at Delhi College of Art. What made the experience of going abroad significant?
I wasn’t just a woman anymore but an Indian. There was a sense of being with such a wide variety of people and you start comparing yourself with them and it changes how you see yourself. I think it gave me a certain detachment also.
You use very feminine symbols such as stitching and roses in your work. Is this conscious design or an instinctive choice?
It’s just instinctive. I’m just drawn to them. My work is very personal. I’d describe it more as a personal catharsis than an intellectual journey. Of course, there are artists I admire tremendously so perhaps they get referenced in my work, like Louis Bourgeoisie and Rene Magritte. I love the strange, mystical element in their work. But it isn’t about intellectual referencing for me. When I’m working on something, it’s essentially trying to capture an abstract.
What is it about the rose that has inspired you?
I like the form of it. I like the way it can come apart and be deconstructed. Sometimes we build up things only to have them break down. The rose is also an archetype of love. It has layers and layers and yet at the end you find nothing. Someone told me it is the symbol of Mary in the Bible. I didn’t know that but I like the resonance.
You said your work is very personal. What do you hope your audience to get from your paintings?
I hope the viewer reads between the lines to discover things I hadn’t imagined. I hope the things I have used make the viewer feel things. I would like them to attach symbolism to my work. Like I said, my work isn’t about being intellectual.
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