Iftikar Ahmed
Artist of the Week is a special category that recognises and highlights the works of talented artists. Each week, new artists are featured, showcasing their unique styles, techniques, and themes. From emerging artists to established veterans, the Artist of the Week category celebrates creativity and diversity in the art world and provides a platform for artists to share their vision and voice with a wider audience.
In Shivani Dubey’s artistic journey, the passage of time takes on a transformative role. It begins in the ancient caves of central India, specifically the walls of Bhimbetka, where artistry adorns the surfaces. From there, this artistic procession advances, making its way through the artist’s mind before eventually being observed by those who will encounter her works. However, this progression is not merely a linear transfer; it is a transformation that imbues the participants with new forms and shared organs.
Courtesy: Abir Space
Dubey’s art invites viewers to perceive this transfer in a fresh light, as it occurs across different times. The artist’s process incorporates contemporary thought and tools, allowing for a reflection of the present moment. Through her work, she presents an invitation to utilise our shared sight—a sight that not only navigates us through the passage of time from the ancient cave decorations to the artist’s (re)production but also enables us to perceive multiple selves and witness our own existence through reproduction.
Intriguingly, as the participants of this artistic procession merge into a singular body, Dubey skilfully compresses the temporal space that separates them. This compression serves as a unique technique in her art, one that is not commonly found in the realm of printmaking. It is this very technique that piques her interest and serves as her aim—to blend traditional and modern digital printing technologies harmoniously.
Dubey envisions a fusion of these two worlds, weaving together the craftsmanship and essence of traditional printing techniques with the innovation and versatility of digital printing. Through this exploration, she seeks to create a visual language that is both rooted in tradition and empowered by contemporary tools. By blending these technologies, she aims to push the boundaries of printmaking, offering viewers a fresh perspective and a captivating aesthetic experience.
With a profound appreciation for the rich history of art and an unwavering curiosity for new possibilities, Shivangi Dubey emerges as an artist who deftly traverses the realms of tradition and modernity. Her artistic profile is characterised by a relentless drive to bridge the past and the present, inviting audiences to embark on a visual journey that transcends time and seamlessly merges diverse artistic techniques.
As she continues to push the boundaries of her craft, Shivani Dubey’s art promises to be a captivating blend of tradition, innovation, and a profound exploration of shared sight—an artistic narrative that resonates with both the familiar and the unexpected, inviting viewers to witness the convergence of past, present, and future in each stroke of her creations.
