Sarah Kaushik creates satirical scenarios in reaction to the occurrences around her, using digital montage as a medium to build narratives and cope.
The Big Eyed Collagist is not just a mere stage name, it is an indeterminable identity to contradict the gender biased society, almost a rebellion.
Sarah Kaushik
Sarah Kaushik.
Please tell us a little about yourself, what brought you to the world of art and how did you start?
My professional practice as a Scenographer allows me to constantly indulge in narratives and story-telling, the basis to every thematic exercise. I began working with digital montages as my art form in the beginning of 2015, applying the same knowledge of building narratives, only in a two-dimensional space creating provocative juxtapositions in single yet powerful frames.
What is the primary role of an artist? How do you describe yourself in the context of challenging people’s perspectives via your work and art?
I have very personalised reactions to the occurrences around me, that end up affecting my views and thoughts. The art I make creates a satirical scenario of these occurrences, helping me deal with them in a humorous or a ‘lighter’ way, not making them of less importance, but not letting them take a toll on my mental well-being.
The Big Eyed Collagist is not just a mere stage name, it is an indeterminable identity to contradict the gender biased society, almost a rebellion. My figures are dressed androgynously to transcend any gender expectations and stigmas attached to a specific gender. My work attempts to bridge the distinction between a man and a woman, through the way we dress/look, as a satirical, pun-intended notion of portraying the very sad, abusive state of women, all across the globe.
Having said that, I leave it to the viewers as to how they would like to interpret my work and what they would like to take away from it.
Sarah Kaushik.
How do you deal with the conceptual difficulty and uncertainty of creating work?
Each one of my works has been inspired by an event or a personal experience. However, the urge to create something always comes from within. I do not like to pressurise myself to produce work, unless it comes naturally to me.
What would you call your style? Let’s talk about the evolution of your practice over the years. Tell us about your commitment to your current medium.
I extensively use vintage imagery from India and beyond to create scenarios of the current times, which I source from the public domain. The process of putting the elements together and arriving at a composition which is satisfactory, sometimes happens in a day, and sometimes takes days. It is very often, that the image I start with in the beginning, gets completely transformed towards the stage which I can call the final. Over time, I have developed more confidence in my practice and have let my intuition help develop the works.
What inspires you? Let’s talk about your frameworks, references and process.
It all began with William Burroughs’s cut-up experiments and how beautifully his stories formed themselves, making sense to different people in different ways. I was very inspired with the idea of this process and applied the same in my work.
Sarah Kaushik.
How does your interaction with a curator, gallery or client evolve from the initial interface, to the working-involvement-relationship?
The process is to understand the client’s vision and get a sense of how much they are willing to experiment. The vintage images which are relevant to the project come together eventually in the form of an artwork and the collage takes shape. It has always been a collaborative relationship which requires patience and maturity from both ends.
Think of the biggest professional risk you’ve taken. What helped you take that risk?
One of the most challenging projects was conceptualising backdrops for the annual Mahindra Sanatkada Festival in Lucknow. I was a part of the exhibition design team for the year 2018 and 2019. A co-designed experiential exhibit brought about an opportunity for me to play with the scale of my artworks and experiment with other mediums of printing. Using relevant visuals and experiential storytelling techniques, the artworks served as interesting scenographic backdrops for the festival’s exhibits. Initially I was anxious of whether these backdrops will work in the given scenario and whether it will be interactive enough, but was surprised to see the result which was also appreciated by the visitors.
Sarah Kaushik.
Any mentor, curator or gallerist who deserves a special mention for furthering your journey? What is the best piece of advice you’ve received?
I would give credit to the development of my style of work to an online course/community called Design1o1 created by Idlab, a design company based in Milan. Practicing this course with the community was the most beneficial asset to further my practice and give it the impetus it needed.
Tell us about your studio, what kind of place is it? Could you describe your usual work-day in the studio?
A lot of my work is site oriented which involves a lot of movement. But the collage work usually happens around a desk at home or in a cafe. I am oblivious to the surroundings as long as I have a good internet and my laptop!
Sarah Kaushik.
Are you more of a studio artist or naturally collaborative by nature? How do you feel about commissions?
I have been a part of many a collaborative projects throughout my career, and thus am always open to them. I have also been doing multiple commissions in the past. One of the notable ones was for Lemon Tree chain of hotels, in collaboration with Skart. I created city-specific artworks for Lemon Tree Mumbai, Pune and Kolkata.
Do you handle the commercials yourself or is it outsourced?
I have been selling artworks independently as well as through Art & Found, a well-known art portal in the country.
What were you working on when the lockdown was announced?
I had just finished working on an exhibition in collaboration with two other designers, for the clothing brand Pero, when the lockdown was announced. Unfortunately the last stage of the exhibition could not be carried through because of the pandemic.
How has this affected your practice and plans?
The pandemic has made the future uncertain for a while. Since my work is heavily based on the hospitality industry, which is greatly suffering at the moment, one can see its direct impact on my work too.
For enquiries contact: kaushik [dot] sarah [at] gmail [dot] com
Before you go – you might like to browse our Artist Interviews. Interviews of artists and outliers on how to be an artist. Contemporary artists on the source of their creative inspiration.