As a woman who chooses to be unapologetically herself, visual artist Avantika Mathur reclaims the streets to express the universe within through her bohemian art. Asrashaheen.in takes a dekko at her exhilarating street art, which is a blend of psychedelic and surreal expressions, in an exclusive interview with this adrenaline-charged artist.
A riot of bohemian colours on the façade of a shanty roofed with asbestos sheet… Bold and bright motifs bringing to life a non-descript boundary wall of a residential neighbourhood… A life-size portrait standing out as a relief art of its own kind on a vertically potted wall lined with windows… When Avantika Mathur, a visual artist (street artist, body art artist and surrealist painter) reclaims the streets to express herself through colours, it’s both overwhelming and empowering in the same breath. An eclectic blend of psychedelic and bohemian, Avantika’s street art pushes the envelope for the viewers by making them look beyond what meets the eye. Well quite literally! Her obsession with the eyes can be seen across her works as the pair of eyes embodies a window to the soul. Her “eyes” grabs your attention as you are drawn into a universe of experiences and feel them through your mind’s eye. While the symbols and motifs are inspired from her personal life, the underlining message is evocative of universal issues.
“There is nothing rarer, nor more beautiful, than a woman being unapologetically herself.” This thought resonates in each of Avantika’s artworks. Expression of identity, women’s empowerment, gender equality, the divine feminine and climate change are some of the themes she has portrayed in her exhilarating street art.
Taking to the streets!
If there’s one visual art form that literally takes art to people rather than taking people to art, it is street art. However, street as a public space has been the male preserve since medieval ages and continues to be so even in the modern era. Although there is a certain “eliteness” associated with women who showcase their artwork in private spaces, street art lacks that privilege. Street as a public sphere has never been an “accessible” space for women to indulge in and display their artistic expression, historically speaking. But then art is all about pushing boundaries, breaking barriers and stepping out of one’s comfort zones. And this is exactly what Avantika does.
Asrashaheen.in takes a dekko at the adrenaline-charged, bohemian street art of Avantika Mathur. Her dynamic pseudonym WomenPow aptly reflects the world of psychedelic expressions she conjures up on the boundless canvases on street.
Excerpts from the Interview:
Street as a public space has always been a male prerogative. It would be interesting to understand your experience as a woman of sharing this space; of expressing your thoughts and ideas on vast facades, walls and structures; of public gaze/curiosity towards a woman expressing herself with freedom in open view…
It is extremely empowering to paint public spaces and breaking stereotypes of how patriarchal society perceives women. I have had all kind of experiences while painting on the streets – from experiencing harassment to getting tremendous respect and support. To express in a public space can be intimidating, but to keep doing it has made me understand that it just takes us time to do it repeatedly to make it normal. So normal that every woman feels comfortable to express her ideas on a bold and vast façade without fear.
This is also a reason I love art. It brings people together, breaking stereotypes of gender, creed, colour; it brings the community together.
Do briefly touch upon some of the themes you strongly feel about and have touched upon in your street/graffiti art.
The themes that I have worked on are related to expressions of identity, women empowerment, the divine feminine, climate change – especially talking about water pollution which is not really talked about as often. The life underwater which we cannot see from where live is so beautiful and an integral part of our lives. These creatures are critical to our ecology. But we are ignorant about their presence and are destroying them. Take for example the corals — a beautiful absolute gift to this planet! They are dying because of bleaching and temperature change. Through my art on the streets, I want to bring to the fore things we tend to neglect and disrespect – whether it’s Mother Nature or our inner conscious for that matter.
How did your stay in the Philippines influence and inspire your artwork, back in the days of graduation?
I shifted to the Philippines when I was 17. I started developing a more open-minded approach to life as I lived alone in a country away from home with people of different perspectives and cultures from mine. I got to meet people from all walks of life. I lived with 190 nationalities and shared their space, stories and love. It opened my mind to the world I never knew and I feel it evolved my identity; art is just an extension of who you are and what you believe in. I went to do my studies in arts there and I had the guidance of tremendously talented teachers and mentors who gave me the tools to express myself the way I always wanted to.
Women and art in India has come a long way. As a graffiti and body artist, how would you describe the scope of contemporary art scenario for women in India?
You are right; women indeed have come a long way. I feel women have started being bolder and more expressive and the contemporary art space is the best space for women to come and channelize energies through their artwork. The scope of art for women is boundless. As a woman, I proudly practice full nude body painting, promoting and normalizing nudity. It’s basically about looking at women from a very different perspective — beyond their skin and sexuality. When am doing street am unapologetically living my truth. It is time for women to rise and shine, sky is the limit. We are claiming what is rightfully ours — to create spaces where we are fearless, expressive and free.
You paint on canvas, human body and street structures… This gives you an opportunity to express your imagination on three varied backdrops. Do share with us the uniqueness of each of these art forms.
Each of these materials has its sweet uniqueness. I started painting on canvas when I got into art, which demands patience, techniques, applications and it has its own joy of working in layers in the comfort of my studio. I work with acrylic and have been working on a couple of series, painting my narratives on my canvases.
But after a while I felt constrained within the four corners of the canvas. So I had to break away from those borders and took my art to walls that gave me freedom to paint. It is a physically challenging work to stand on ladders, balancing on man lifts and blowing up composition to ten times the size you usually work on. Also, it is not in the comfort of your studio. But it is interacting with people from all walks of life getting curious and showing interest in my work. The experience ranges from pleasant conversations arguments if they don’t believe in what you are creating. When people come to paint with you, it is no more just your art it becomes people’s art. I feel art is too detached from the general public of India and street art breaks that barrier of accessibility to galleries and museums. Street art is not just a skill it’s a process of interaction and awareness. It is an adrenalin-charged workspace and I love it. I am an adrenaline junkie.
And yes when it comes to body painting, for years women have been my muse, my inspiration. I have been painting on paper, canvas and walls but then I was like why not paint on women. It is challenging when your canvas is a living being that breathes and talks; when your canvas inspires you to paint on them. It is indeed a very intimate relationship with your work plane.
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