‘FREEDOM & JOURNEY OF DREAMS’

Reporter: Chen You Wang

On March 23, 2019 ‘DREAMS OF DREAMER’ – ‘Shatrudhan K. Gupta, Painting Solo Exhibition’ was held at the Xika Art Center, 7 Qingbo Street, Hangzhou, China. The exhibition was co-hosted by the Consulate general of India, Shanghai and the Xika Art Center.

Arun Kumar Panwar, Cultural Consul of the Indian Consulate in Shanghai, and Liu Xijun, head of the Xika Art Center, came to the scene and delivered speeches.

Shatrudhan K. Gupta, (Master of Visual Arts, College of Arts & Crafts, University of Lucknow, India, 2009), and joined the ‘Senior Scholar Research Programme’ at ‘China Academy of Art’ Hangzhou, China, 2016. Gupta attempts to create art in a variety of media, including Acrylic colors, oil, water colors, pencils, pens, newspaper, propylene, and even ceramics and sculpture(sometimes). Although he majored in painting, he never limited his attempts to use a variety of materials.

With regard to the exhibition Title ‘Dreams of Dreamer’, Gupta said, “Dreams and Journey have very strong relation with each other, if one showed me target and vision to reach then other showed me way and possibilities to get them. In other words, it is synchronization of inter relation and practice with each other, which furnished in me a level of strength and confidence on which I am walking.

Gupta enjoys traveling. In the past few years, he has visited many places, art places and museums in China. When he first visited China as a traveler, he found a space for imagination and dreams: “I in my dreams, I use to live at fullest and enjoyed every aspect of it. When again I got the opportunity to fulfill whatever I dreamt, it felt like walking on the clouds and speaking to the moon, as lam about to live my dreams.

The works in this exhibition reflect Dreams and Journeys. “These works are pure representation of challenges and hurdles i faced off during every stage of the journey.” Over the years in China, many things have directly and indirectly influenced him: Chinese art and culture, language, calligraphy, and the way of life of the people here. “Intentionally, I didn’t try to mix Indian with Chinese element. I leave myself free, but elements naturally influence me and spontaneity takes place in my works”.