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Spring Board
Preksha Tater
Born in Kathmandu, Nepal, Preksha is one of the promising young artists currently working in Indian contemporary art scene. She did her BFA and MFA at the Faculty of Fine Arts, MS University, Baroda. Preksha’s major concerns are time and space. She works with various materials and objects, both found and created and creates time-space specific installations. The impermanence of certain materials inspires her to implement them in her creative process. Some of her works are environmentally conscious. Having a great interest in art history and theories, Preksha draws clues from the historical process of art and involves herself in various disciplines in order to strengthen the philosophical back up of her works. Currently she is on a residency program at the Kanoria Art Centre, Ahmedabad.
When did Preksha realize that she had an artistic bend ?
Art was my passion since my school days .It was like magic, fun and enjoyment. Playing with colors was the most joyful activity. My passion increased with time and it became one of the major subjects in my eleventh and twelfth standard.
Who initiated her into serious art ?
My talent was acknowledged by my art teacher in school, who was not only my inspiration those days but also encouraged me to expand my creative desires. When I was about to finish my schooling, seeing my interest and dedication my teacher suggested me to go to an art college. Along with that my parents were always supportive of my decision.
Where did she study art and how was her training like ?
Though my art training began long ago but in true sense it grew in my Bachelors and Masters programmee from M.S.University, Vadodara, Gujarat. The freedom and knowledge that was given and shared by our teachers played a major role in shaping our ideas and growth as an individual. It also helped me to understand the term “ART” and widen my perception towards it, which was one of the major concerns throughout my training programmee.
How does she explain her works done during the B.F.A ?
Human figure dominated my works in my Bachelor’s programmee. Specializing in painting gave me a lot of freedom to experiment, explore and understand different medium and materials and creating whatever my instinct allowed me to do at that point of time .Since then, the instinctive nature became my process of working throughout my growth as an artist.
Drawing was one of the important aspects of my works, not as a preliminary sketch but expression in itself. Expanding the horizon of drawing became an important concern. Drawing on different materials helped me to expand my creative process from 2- dimensions to 3- dimensions.
What did she do during her post graduate days?
I choose mural as my major in masters programmee which helped me in understanding the ‘space’ in totality where I was concerned about recreating the physical space, with the use of different medium and material . In order to explore different form of expression other then human forms, my creative process took a turn during my post graduate days The area of expression was widening, which became a challenge for me.
How did art history influence her?
It helped me to know art from around the world from past to present, its growth and development over the years. It also helped me to understand the role of art in society, and how it varied from individual to individual. For me, history is the source of inspiration.
How does she explain her current practice?
My recent works are the expansion of my process of working during my master’s programmee. Understanding the difference between indoor and outdoor space and how
different materials when put together at a particular place can form a relationship and communicate. Most of my works are time and space specific. I don’t structure my work in a pre-conceived manner. The process of working itself gives shape to my creative endeavors.
What does she think about the art market?
It’s good that there is an expansion in the art market and a lot of other opportunities for the up coming artist. But this growing commercialization is creating a gap between the self and the ‘artist’, if only one realizes, the creativity can sustain.
