Interview : Mekhala Bahl

Mekhala Bahl is a poet with a paintbrush and her canvas is a playground of obscured dreams, thoughts and people. She attempts to capture the intangible fuzziness of romanticized memories through pastel abstraction done to perfection. Her techniques are a schizophrenic symphony of her nostalgia, in the use of fine lines , graphic elements and heavy impasto . Dissatisfied with just paint, she attempts silk, glass, plastic - beckoning the audience to touch her imagination, a step closer to actuality. As if to literally give her recollection form, she creates sculptures from candy floss. Bahl achieves a delicate balance with her impressive use of composition & her intuitive understanding of colour – their subtlety only surpassed by their complexity. What drew me in is the probability of perhaps finding my own personal experiences floating about in there, in limbo, a childhood penchant for searching for shapes in clouds.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I have enjoyed working with paint and colour since as long as I can remember. I’m from Delhi and college too began here, at College of Art. During my second year, I attended a short summer course at Pont Aven School of Art in France and that made me realize how much I needed to work under a differently structured, yet experimental and free method of instruction. At the end of my second year I transferred to Rhode Island School of Design to complete my BFA. I returned in 2003 and now live and work in Delhi.

What would you say inspires or influences your work?

Several moments. Cartoons, dreams, memories, the material I work with, nature, and probably most of all – traveling. Usually a very stimulating experience, in terms of difference in landscape, having a chance to look at art in museums and galleries in another part of the world, working in another studio at art residencies and simply the idea of allowing thoughts and ideas to form while being away from my regular work environment. A sense of stillness or atleast calmness in my mind also helps my works process flow smoothly.

Do the colour stories in your paintings happen consciously or do they gradually evolve to look like they do?

I enjoy colour, I feel or rather am convinced that there are no two or three colours that can not work together. They simply don’t exist. While working I try not to be too conscious of my process, colours, or content. The more instinctive the flow is, the closer my process is working for/with me.

Is there a particularly vivid or beautiful memory that you made into a painting?

Yes, many of my works probably include that feeling. Sometimes the colours are faded and pale. Dreamlike. As I mentioned earlier, working from memory and dreams is a part of my inspiration. There are too many such works and its probably better when you see your own images in them, than if I were to specify. Now that you ask me this, I find that in comparison to these, the paintings which have been worked on in a surrounding that directly influences the work - while painting outside or a painting of a studio room - tend to have colours that are more saturated and in the moment, in comparison to the seemingly ‘nostalgic’ work.

What do you think of the emerging artists of India, do have any favourites from your contemporaries?

I think the art scene in India is doing fabulously well, both in terms of exposure and encouragement.All their work as well as my own continues to develop, change and grow. Rohini Devasher, Aditya Pande’s works among many others are some of the artist’ I’ve enjoyed looking at, with their process also being very interesting.

If your paintings could be a song , which one would they be?

Karma Chameleon, less so for meaning of the song, more for the feeling of the sounds. This song is a great favourite of mine, so maybe it’s simply that and nothing more. If I were to really make an effort to answer your question, the song or rather the sounds or noise which comes to mind is a sort of mix of many different genres of music, some on fast forward, some in regular mode and a few stuck in the record player. Harmony being the aim and ‘noise’ being the journey.

What lies in the future for mekhala bahl?
Lots.

Is there anything you'd like to tell the readers of MASALA CHAI?
Not really. Though I’d be happy to answer any questions they may have.

Visit Mekhala Bahl's website for more of her artwork.