Khoj October Associate Residency

Slide talk + presentation by in-studio artists : Michael Peter Cain (Varanasi + California )and Susanta Mondal (New Delhi)

Tuesday - 23rd October - 2007 - 1830 hours

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Michael Peter Cain

"Over the last ten years I have been collaborating with traditional Indian artisans to make a variety of hammered sheet metal (repoussé) sculptures the surfaces of which are activated with relief patterns of my own design and/or appropriated from indigenous temple ornaments.
 All works made during the last few years feature cutaways and perforations that make expressive use of the repoussé sculptures' remarkable hollow  forms. Hanging on walls or suspended by cables from ceilings, many of my scultures resemble lamps.  For some time, I have been wondering how they would work with lights in them. 

My concept of these lights stems from my work with Pulsa (1967-1972), a collaborative group of artists and engineers I co-founded to create multi-sensory public environmental artworks featuring programmed light and sound.  Certain of our pieces featured shimmering grids of viewer-activated strobe lights complemented by all-over fields of oscillating tones. I am curioius to re-enact some of these effects inside and around certain of my sculptures."

Susanta Mandal

"I want to make a body of work with real bubbles that last for a few seconds and burst one by one. It will be a kind of performance in the structure of solid metals and rods; (The real bubbles, clouds - especially capturing them or cutting off are physically impossible). A symbolic, subtle political engagement is a inherent feature in my works ,  which are basically fun to look  , at the first glance but this apparent playfulness in the structure – comes to an end with an undescribable melancholia.In my works shadows play a very crucial role, symbols of abstract fear, fear of life, fear of social change. I have used lights and movements of shadows which create numerous forms describing feelings of individuals, in a universal narrative manner."

"Later on, I started using photographs, motors, and videos. I started working with motors to get 'motion', because motion doesn't have any substitution-----specially, a physical movement, whether it's human or mechanical is essential. I feel a hug, a touch or a shift, doesn't have any alternative. One thing being articulated in my work is the amalgamation of two types of motions; virtual movement (through video) and physical movement (from mechanical devices).Along with these I often use moving lenses on various photographs, images, objects etc. The movements of these lenses enlarge the objects, forms and questions. "

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Takehito Koganezawa

Takehito Koganezawa has developed a diverse art practice, united by a minimalist aesthetic, in media including drawing, video, sound sculpture and performance. Koganezawa has been selected to show at distinguished group shows and video festivals throughout Europe and Asia since 1997.His work could also be seen at Manifesta 4, the fourth edition of a European biennial in Frankfurt, Germany in 2002. He is represented by (Gallery) Wohnmaschine in Berlin.

The artist works primarily with video and drawing, referring to video as his "brainwork", and to drawing as his "musclework".

Koganezawa's videos often originate from live performances and include the artist as an actor/participant. His drawings are simple coloured pencil lines on large white paper backgrounds.Converging recognizable objects with abstract fragments, his drawings invoke a surrealist mood. And though surrealist, the artist maintains a light, humorous edge throughout all of his work.

please note .. Due to unavoidable circumstances , Takehito had arrived late for the residency and will not be present for the Slide Talk.
But we will be exhibiting his absolutely brilliant music video entitled :- "Dancing in your head (mocala mix)"

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