Lochan Upadhyay

Aditya Srinivas, an art history student at the Department of Art History and Aesthetics, MS University, Baroda speaks to the young artist Lochan Upadhyay

Lochan Upadhyay

Lochan was born in 1983, Parthapur, Rajasthan in a Government servant’s family. He did his graduation in painting from the M.S.University, Baroda and currently pursuing post-graduation in painting in the same faculty. Some of his professional achievements are:  He was awarded the Rajasthan lalitha kala award for the three consecutive years from 2001-2004.workshops: participated in metamorphosis from rural to urban –the vagad project raj 2002, also participated in site specific Sandharbh project 2003 -07 and his works are in several important private collections.

Lochan spent his childhood in a remote village, his grandfather was an artist who inspired his naive and innocent thoughts grow up and take their own aesthetic shapes. He used to look at the materials in surroundings with utmost interest as he was going to shape them out and give them a new aesthetic meaning. This is how his interest started towards conceptual premises. The attempts of lochan are the aesthetic criticism of the urbanized societies and he also tries to incorporate the element of humor on to it, he satisfies himself with the element of Repetition in a single and creates a space for the viewer to interact with the aesthetic object.
         
When did Lochan’s journey in the premise of art start?

“My grand pa Mr.Vidya sagar upadhyay was my first teacher who recognized my interest in art and guided me in developing my interests. I use to do lots of drawings in charcoal and dry pastels since childhood taking occasions as the subjects like Republic day, Independence Day etc. This interest gradually increased and took various aesthetic shapes later on. When I was in 11th class my friends and elders understood my aesthetic quest and motivated me to join an art institution. That is how my journey in the premise started and passing on”

How was Lochan’s state of mind when he was in graduation?

“Applied arts interested me earlier because I was not much aware about painting and other related disciplines, but I failed to get admission in applied art and took painting which I consider the best step in my life. I started taking painting seriously then onwards. I started exploring with different mediums. Ideas played a pivotal role right from my graduation .The process of repetition was my favorite way of expression to derive my aesthetic satisfaction .This got much enriched when I was exposed to art historical knowledge especially  movements like Pop Art, which has an outstanding influence on me. Digital art too influenced me and made me experiment in that medium.”

Was there any eye opener for him?

“Every teacher was very kind and always helpful to me but one incident which I never forget was in my earlier days of graduation where I was not getting satisfied with my drawing despite my constant efforts ,one of  my teachers  saw my condition and asked me ‘what is your problem’. I said I am not able to draw perfectly, then he said ‘I am practicing artist for quite a long time even I don’t know how to draw perfectly, so there is nothing called perfect way of drawing every artist has his own way of  drawing and that is unique in itself,  so don’t worry and go ahead’ this statement changed my mind and gave a lot of freedom to operate further.”

What does he want to say through his work?

“I see every thing as an object not as a surface. I am quite skeptical about painting. These are the attempts to break the conventions of painting. I always incorporated the element of humor in to my work. I use ready made objects as my surfaces through which I search aesthetic sense of the form itself, whether in ready made object or any thing else.”

What did he get from Baroda?

“BARODA is a place that changed my life. This place is very comfortable to live for people from diversified art institutions come here to exchange and enrich their aesthetic thoughts and ideas and I find it is a very productive act here. From conversations with those artists and students I learnt many things. This was/is fun and enriching”

What is lochan’s favorite medium?

“Charcoal is my favorite medium. I do a lot of charcoal drawings before starting any work and I will add to them various things where ever I find necessary. I like it for its nature of Flexibility”

What is lochan’s opinion about mediatic realism?

“I think it is very productive and easier to get references to do our work faster and better.
 I like it even though I was not much in to it but I do take references from popular media whenever I find necessary.”

Why do lochan choose installation as a medium?

“Installation art does not possess any material limitations and it can be expressed freely irrespective of whatever material we are using, I use local materials according to the availability and this gives us a lot of freedom to explore.”

What does lochan think about art market?

“Well that is a pretty loaded term but I usually do site specific works and installation in which art market doesn’t play much role. But the taste of it is gradually changing too
They are helping the creative attempts irrespective of their non-consumable nature which is quite a positive extension.”

Where do we find lochan in coming years?

“Yes, for the moment I am concentrating on the final display of my post graduation after the display I will be working in Baroda for some more time. However, I am planning to go to certain residency programmes abroad to improve my aesthetic skills”