

A lot of us are forced into boxes while growing up. We try to cultivate this thing called 'identity' by making little peep holes in them. Led by confusion, growing up years of our being are often a struggle when met with the idea of adulthood. At Method gallery, Revant Dasgupta showcases the utter confusion and alienation experienced in childhood within the boxes of standard identity given to us from birth, in his first solo show, ‘Growing Pains’. Revant recollects his memories of childhood and tries to find a sense of meaning in his adulthood. He presents and deconstructs the institution that shaped him while questioning his gender identity. In the conversation below, we explore his process, challenges and the beauty of absurdity in his works.
There were quite a few issues I faced while putting this together, probably the most common being with staying financially stable throughout the period of putting this body of work together. Balancing work, figuring out space while also finding the time to paint, which would often result in me having to put in long hours at the end of a hectic day. A lot of people my age are at a point where they are just starting off with their career so I could see how this could be a difficult entry point for many. Especially, if you do large paintings. I think another common thing I faced is that a lot of people seem a bit unsure of you when you are young, because since it's a first show there seems to be an uncertainty with regards to where the artist will go on their journey or even their art style.

I've been making art in some form or the other since as long as I can remember, it's always been a way for me to express myself and the way I was feeling since I'm not very good at expressing myself otherwise. So, in a way I have always expressed myself through my work. The kind of lifestyle I'm leading and where I am mentally, has always shown in my work. I got a psychoanalyst on recommendation by a friend and fellow artist somewhere in 2022 which has changed how I look at my work and has helped me gain a lot of clarity about my process. That's around the time I first started working on the themes that eventually matured into the work in this show. The idea was to look at everything I've always talked about and put myself into those surroundings to reflect on how they affect me.
I usually have a general idea of the mood or the feeling of what I'm going to make. Post which I prefer to go straight onto whatever I'm working on be it canvas, paper or concrete. I prefer to not plan or give myself time to think because that usually hinders the process of getting the most raw image out of the process. I prefer to start and go straight in, and then see what goes best with what and take it one step at a time from there. When I am done, I want to see it for the first time as well as opposed to planning it and putting it together from the start.

Words Paridhi Badgotri
Date 31.03.2024