In Conversation with Chippa Sudhakar

What inspired you to pursue a career in the arts? How did you make your way into the world of professional art and how is it going now?

As a child, I had a typical interest in the arts, which was noticed by our school’s art teacher, who'd seen potential in me. I recall Pranav Rao guru being present with me throughout the counseling and interview sessions and introducing me to Kavitha Devaskar mam, the PPC at the time. That was the catalyst for my entry into the art world, but it didn't hit me until my fourth year. At the time, painting was a 5-year course. Like any other final year student, I began to experience anxiety. What am I going to do with my life now? In search of answers, I headed to the library.

I quickly understood that staying in Hyderabad would hold me back from growing, so I moved to Baroda. The post-graduate diploma in printmaking was an amazing experience. My father's untimely death led me back to my hometown. I tried to carry on with my father's farming business, but quickly realized it wasn't for me.

This is the beginning of what we are seeing now, my life's work, Banyan Hearts studio.

What influenced your work and your style over time? How did you manage to manifest your thoughts and beliefs through art?

My life has been greatly influenced by my new circumstances. However, it inspired me to learn more about the world and all it has to offer. My go-to method has been to take it in and create art from it. As humans, we can extend our horizons by engaging with new individuals and the environment. This development can be seen in our thinking and in the art we try to make. My father was a farmer, so I suppose it's in my blood to be near nature. You can plainly see how the environment is the focus of my art, and how it addresses the challenges of the day. Through my work, I wish to express my views about the environment.

Describe your expertise with several mediums, as well as what you find to be the most versatile.

When it comes to mediums of expression, I don't have any favorites. I choose media solely on the basis of how well it conveys my concept. When we look back at the work I've done over my career, we can see that I've experimented with a variety of mediums. This demonstrates my desire to constantly try new things. I've never been one for staying in my comfort zone. Despite my background in printmaking, wood has been a frequent collaborator in many of my works. No other media compares to the versatility of wood. But I don't stick to one medium; I combine them, layer them, and utilize a variety of textures to convey varied emotions and meanings. So far, I've worked with terracotta, resin, metal (particularly zinc) feathers, flowers, and other materials.

From struggling artist to a professor to now running banyan heart studio, your practice has evolved through time. What led to the establishment of the residency program?

I always dreamt of a place amidst nature to work in, away from the city, peaceful and calm. Nature has always supported me and I cherish it. I feel it’s a god’s gift. It was a collapsed guesthouse now redesigned into a place for painting, printmaking, sculpture studios, and kitchen dining space for students or visitors coming here to stay and collaborate.

As I already mentioned about my travel molding my journey, this same norm was one of the reasons. My experience at studios abroad, where one studio is used by various artists coming in, pitching in ideas on the same piece of art, but were run by communities, although here in India we survive in an unlikely context. I wanted to bring this idea of collaborative learning among students and artists where one teaches and learns at the same time–a give and take policy. Also, I always mentored my fellow students during my teaching stretch, and this thought of supporting and guiding them into their professional life now as an individual artist was what a push to start the residency.

Tell us about some of your favorite projects and why you like them so much. And lastly, a piece of advice you have for aspiring artists who want to make a career out of their passion?

My source of inspiration is nothing in particular but the little miracles of a person’s life. My personal favorite is “The Flying man". I worked on this piece for 3 years handpicking each feather I used; it was about this flight, one takes to sleep. It actually has a mechanism inside with a small light glowing to indicate the pulse that’s a human being’s indication of being alive.

The different textures and things going in to make this sculpture make it even special and different from other works. Also, the resin heads wherein I used varied materials inside for each of my thoughts, in one of those I put in mechanical vehicle gears showing how nowadays a human’s brain is constantly under work 24/7. My advice to young minds would be to just go for it. One should thrive for what one desires to be.

Residency Programs

What made you visit this studio and what are you getting to learn and experience here?

I wanted to learn to sculpt and make figures out of clay. That is the reason why I’m here. Rehaman and Shoaib anna are teaching me the basics of drawing and guiding me. I’ve been coming here every day for a few years and I love being here because of the environment and also because of my interest in art. Everybody here helps me figure out the mistakes and teaches me the process very well.

How well is this place and the program resonating with your interests and helping you build your career?

The exposure and mentor-ship from JNAFAU is one of the reasons I’m here at banyan heart studio. If I was working alone, there are chances I could miss certain things, different mediums and techniques to learn along the process, whereas here, working along with others getting to interact with them keeps up the spirit of this place and makes it magical. We absolutely enjoy this place since we get the freedom to work at whatever times we want to. I just wake up in the middle of the night to sit and scrap out clay blocks and start off with a new piece of sculpture. This place has a good collection of books and a space allocated to work on computers. It perfectly blends to make it a college experience at work.

So Saroj, (one of the residency program attendees), since when have you been working here in banyan heart studio and what makes it a special place for you?

I’ve been here since after graduation, learnt through a friend of mine about the residency program. I joined in and am currently working on woodcut printmaking technique along with other fellow mates. Collaborating and working on different methods is so much fun. At the start, soon after graduation, I couldn’t join, although I met sir here, and he was a very kind person who welcomed me wholeheartedly. He is very emphatic and supportive, asked about my financial problems at the start and got me on board. Now, seeing him work in the studio always lets in inspiration to work hard. The atmosphere is also so therapeutic, working amidst nature brings in positive vibes at a workplace.