The Future is Yours to Make
by Rina Banerjee
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Dear Rina, Thank you for accepting our invite for this interview. You have a BS in Polymer Engineering and an MFA from Yale University. Do you ever think of how your life would have turned out if you continued on your scientific path? |
Photo: courtesy of the artist |
I don’t naturally reflect on what could be my life as an engineer. I am more often interested in thinking about what it means to live your life as an artist. This means more to me and is itself a way of understanding my work and its impact on the larger community.
I really find it more rewarding and meaningful to communicate with this infinite community – art centered audience. I like that art has no prescribed boundaries for what to think, look and respond to Art. This appeals to me.
I also think that intimacy is very important and Art offers to the view a realization that the personal experience of one individual is of value.
What are some of the feelings and ideas you want to communicate through your work?
I am constantly aware of the push and pull of life and the endless wish to be happy requires some unhappy experiences. There is no way to bypass this. I am sure that for those of us who have access to art and or experience beauty, it is a spiritual undertaking.
The basic questions are engaged about our existence, growth, maturity, and wish to continue toward a natural death. I am always excited to see my own work looking back many years as it describes all this with an interest in understanding freedom and mobility as a measure of freedom.
To exist is simply not enough but to be aware of largeness of life via your own contribution recognized can happen only with a certain level of attention given to freedom.
How does it feel being constantly invited to the Venice Biennial among other prestigious exhibitions?
I am honored. It is important as it carries a certain level of responsibility to consider so many things when we work to present to an international audience. These types of even are also an honor and a responsibility for whoever has access to participate as viewers. The majority of artists and viewers remain white, male and Western.
I really find it more rewarding and meaningful to communicate with this infinite community – art centered audience. I like that art has no prescribed boundaries for what to think, look and respond to Art. This appeals to me.
I also think that intimacy is very important and Art offers to the view a realization that the personal experience of one individual is of value.
What are some of the feelings and ideas you want to communicate through your work?
I am constantly aware of the push and pull of life and the endless wish to be happy requires some unhappy experiences. There is no way to bypass this. I am sure that for those of us who have access to art and or experience beauty, it is a spiritual undertaking.
The basic questions are engaged about our existence, growth, maturity, and wish to continue toward a natural death. I am always excited to see my own work looking back many years as it describes all this with an interest in understanding freedom and mobility as a measure of freedom.
To exist is simply not enough but to be aware of largeness of life via your own contribution recognized can happen only with a certain level of attention given to freedom.
How does it feel being constantly invited to the Venice Biennial among other prestigious exhibitions?
I am honored. It is important as it carries a certain level of responsibility to consider so many things when we work to present to an international audience. These types of even are also an honor and a responsibility for whoever has access to participate as viewers. The majority of artists and viewers remain white, male and Western.
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When participating in group exhibitions, do you spend time getting acquainted with new artists whose works make an impression on you?
Yes. I may not know who the participating artists are for the curated event I am about to make new work for, but often I feel compelled to learn about the curator and artists who have shared in previous years. It helps to meditate on what can be new that I may be able to offer to the specifics of a subject that I am invited to consider.
Your body of work leaves a mark on the viewer. There is harmony, vivid imagery, storytelling, and a tantalizing, fluid world. What are your main sources of inspiration?
World mythologies and unwritten histories. The work is the means by which people can make sense of themselves and it’s important that what is and who is left out of the dialogue is felt by the audience.
How do you remain original and true to self, yet truly relevant and memorable with what you present to art lovers around the world?
I am not sure if one can know to do that in a concrete way but emotional honesty is indeed required in making art that speaks.
Your paintings are always accompanied by very interesting words and writings. Are you the author of all excerpts or are they extracted from literary works that you like?
I do write them and I am interested in how complexity in the work can be achieved by the addition of Text. The opposition it creates allows us to manage our own reading of the visual.
What or who inspired your work titled Hardness of Living in One Place?
I like thinking about creatures and in this instance, I was thinking about the Seahorse.
For one of your works, you wrote, "The future is yours to make." Powerful. What roles do you see the past and present playing with an impact on anyone's future but more so on the future of an artist?
I am always reminding myself that the future can be shaped, made by all. This is true and more so now with news, and social media.
Who are the people whose presence is that of the wind beneath your wings?
Sun and the Moon that stay so close but never arrive.
What makes you smile, laugh, hope, dream on a daily basis?
Nature.
Yes. I may not know who the participating artists are for the curated event I am about to make new work for, but often I feel compelled to learn about the curator and artists who have shared in previous years. It helps to meditate on what can be new that I may be able to offer to the specifics of a subject that I am invited to consider.
Your body of work leaves a mark on the viewer. There is harmony, vivid imagery, storytelling, and a tantalizing, fluid world. What are your main sources of inspiration?
World mythologies and unwritten histories. The work is the means by which people can make sense of themselves and it’s important that what is and who is left out of the dialogue is felt by the audience.
How do you remain original and true to self, yet truly relevant and memorable with what you present to art lovers around the world?
I am not sure if one can know to do that in a concrete way but emotional honesty is indeed required in making art that speaks.
Your paintings are always accompanied by very interesting words and writings. Are you the author of all excerpts or are they extracted from literary works that you like?
I do write them and I am interested in how complexity in the work can be achieved by the addition of Text. The opposition it creates allows us to manage our own reading of the visual.
What or who inspired your work titled Hardness of Living in One Place?
I like thinking about creatures and in this instance, I was thinking about the Seahorse.
For one of your works, you wrote, "The future is yours to make." Powerful. What roles do you see the past and present playing with an impact on anyone's future but more so on the future of an artist?
I am always reminding myself that the future can be shaped, made by all. This is true and more so now with news, and social media.
Who are the people whose presence is that of the wind beneath your wings?
Sun and the Moon that stay so close but never arrive.
What makes you smile, laugh, hope, dream on a daily basis?
Nature.
