They say, “Jack of All Trades, Master of None.” An artist who has dismantled this age-old proverb and continues to do so is Sreshta Rit Premnath. Premnath is a multidisciplinary artist who dabbles in diverse mediums to engender his vision. Born in Bangalore, he moved to Edinburgh College of Art, Scotland to hone his artistic talents. He soon moved to the USA to obtain a BFA (The Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland) and an MFA (The Milton Avery Graduate School of Fine Arts, Bard College, New York). At present, he teaches art at Williams College, Massachusetts.
In 2004, Sreshta Rit Premnath founded Shifter, a serial print journal and a forum for public discussions. It ran till 2021, publishing its 25th and final edition –Waiting.
Sreshta Rit Premnath’s Artworks Themes and Motifs
Srestha Rit Premnath’s work may seem simple, but it acts as an allegory for societal development and humanity’s role in it. The materials that he employs in his installation – cardboard, metal fencing, panels, or corrugated cargo, each signify the degree of development. There is also a subtle nod to the hegemony of classes and the resulting notion of capitalism.
Sreshta Rit Premnath relies on the use of lines (parallels and intersecting). Despite their physical rigidity, they are neutral and almost abstract. They represent a distinction, a border of sorts. Through his oeuvre, he guarantees visibility to the marginalized and the continued oppression they witness. He realizes his visions using sculptures, photography, video, and installations in resonance with conceptualism and minimalism.
Notable Sreshta Rit Premnath Installation
Sreshta Rit Premnath has been the subject of over 22 solo shows and 61 group exhibitions. He aims to present the anxious plight and the agony of the displaced and frequently marginalized. His work is embedded with the themes of despicable human existence and the politics of life.
Grave/Grove (2021)
At first sight, Sreshta Rit Premnath’s installation, ‘Grave/Grove’ seems like a glorification of naturally occurring and often displaced weeds. However, there is a deeper message in his installation. Despite the nourishing nature of nurseries and community gardens, there is an unshakeable sense of confinement. While the plants are taken care of, the weeds are seen as invaders. The weeds symbolize the migrants and asylum-seekers. They portray the journey of the displaced and their resilience.
When positioned as ‘invaders’, the weeds are quickly uprooted from their natural environment and thrown into incarceration, another nod yet again. The weeds are strategically placed in between the cracks of aluminium sheets, carved as boxes. From within them, white figures arise, melting in with the earth. It enlightens the audience on the issues of migrant displacement and temporary shelter houses constructed for the ‘others.’
Amara Antilla and Natalie Bell curated these installations. The solo exhibition was showcased at MIT List Visual Arts Center, Cambridge, Contemporary Art Center, Cincinnati, and Institute of Contemporary Art, San Diego.
Zero Knot (2010)
The main attraction in Sreshta Rit Premnath’s ‘Zero Knot’ is the use of a saluting figurine to represent politicians or a significant persona. The statue is placed on a pedestal and covered with a tarp. It represents the past and the present simultaneously. The audience is left agape at the imagery that it evokes. Does the tarp mask the effigy of a disgraced person, to be taken in for demolition or does it signify a surprising inauguration?
In addition, visual cues in the form of signboards, paintings, and photographs are placed throughout the room. Almost all of these small paintings and photographs chronicle an amputated hand, in the form of a dissenting salute. It signifies the severance or perhaps a transfer of power. This particular Sreshta Rit Premnath collection deals with the topics of contemporary politics and the liberty to voice political opinions. It is also an allegory of all the silenced voices, never to see the light of the day.
Photo Courtesy – Gidest
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