Here is a project I regret doing. Because it’s kind of not what people wanted to look at. The concept was really weird. A clash of two cultures.
I did this project for a College Exhibition and I first started off feeling excited and happy to share something to my university that I would never have shown.
I struggled with presenting ideas that presented my platonic fantasies. What made me smile all the time. But to put that in an exhibition seemed very difficult to bring it all out. I was working with digital design programs. However, I didn’t feel like I was that good of a digital artist compared to other people. I had limited skills and little time to practice. Patience was another I needed to be a better designer.
To compose the ideas, I used a mix of Indian Classical/Bollywood reference with Napoleonic iconic figures, using three dance styles. I was very excited to make it work despite the time management. I used typography, realistic figure, backgrounds with architectural relation to each figure. Each figure had to be be featured in theater.
Napoleon as a Bharatnaryam Dancer with his own show in the Arc De Triomphe.
My biggest worry was what people would think of it. This is something no one I’ve known has ever done. People have mixed feelings (positive/negative) feelings about Napoleon. Also living in a Western country, people are not very educated about the diversity of Indian culture. Anyone who knows about Bollywood would still be super unfamiliar with it. Desi people still face ignorance from the general population. It’s not easy living where you’re not respected.
Personally I’m not Indian. But I grew up with Bollywood films and Indian music.
The exhibition went by smoothly. So far, I never got any negative approaches from anyone. I gave it my best to act like nothing happened. I was kind of frustrated with the fact that not many people took an interest in it. Only a few gazes. That’s it.
A couple years from then, I look back at it and I’m like .... why the f)@)$ did I do this? It’s not helping me with anything. This is only my personal passion that no one will understand. Except for only a handful of people.
I should go for something in art that appeals to people, but I don’t want to become a people pleaser.
Although this was an individualist attempt, that ended up awkward.
Louis Bonaparte as a Kathak King of Holland (lmaooo) in the Palais Op de Dam
King Joachim Murat the Dandy King doing just own Dandiya Festival (I know it sounds lame)
