Himani’s practice explores the materiality of space, organic forms and ‘Psychogeography’. She studies how land, spaces and cities evolve both structurally and organically and impact identity.
Cities, land and their components feature heavily in her work, as she believe they catalyse movements, politics and human collaborations. A key theme she explores in her work is ‘Right to the city’ through mobility and associations formed through experiences provided by a spatial environment. Her Visual Arts practice is informed by exploration of the outdoors, travelling through and viewing diverse cityscapes, and her research work on contemporary urban and land issues.
Her process involves walking extensively, studying aerial views of spaces, images of urban development, maps, 2D forms representing the built environment, tactile forms of land such as soil/rock/pigment/building material and abstract mind mapping of real spaces and cities; which she then expresses through painting, drawing and mixed media. She likes to work with a wide range of materials to introduce an almost sculptural quality to her technique.
Her process is also deeply personal. She engages with her direct surroundings by means of sketches, sound recordings and verbal accounts of people whose stories she chooses to include in her works. She sees her practice develop further as a means of public engagement and working alongside policy makers, translating her research to aesthetic and conceptual works, and more experimentation with materials and techniques.
Himani Gupta has been creating artworks since 2005. After an undergraduate education in Business Studies from India, she trained in Fine Arts and Spatial Design at Central Saint Martins, University of The Arts London. She also holds a M.Sc. in Real Estate and Urban Planning from University College London. Himani lives and works between New Delhi, London and Kenya.
Cityscapes:
The large format paintings on canvas explore Cityscapes and their block forms interspersed with fluid lines and layers of texture. Elements from architecture, heritage and organic material occupying a city make up these works. The dialogue between elements of nature, color and building indicates familiarity and safety associated with the urban world.
Mapping Landscapes:
Mapping Landscapes is a part of an ongoing exploration of transient lands and moving borders. Through the mixed media works, there is an inquiry into how land and topography evolve and devolve with conflict and movement – leading to inclusion, exclusion and ‘othering’. The spatial aspects of the border – its fluidity and morphology, and how people and movement are being watched, and even non-conflicted lands, are expressed through lines and form and use of multi-layered material on surfaces such as paper, concrete and canvas.
Himani’s belief, expressed in her art, is that we need settlements that are inclusive and resilient. It is this belief that drives Himani’s practice. Through her practice, she aims to make a positive difference to society and surroundings, and stir discourse.
Artist: Himani Gupta Category: Visual Art, Paintings Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/himani_works/
Website: https://www.himanigupta.com/