TALES OF ZUZA
PRANSHU THAKORE SOLO EXHIBITION
FEB 19 MAR 25 2023
BREACH GALLERY PRESENTS, “TALES OF ZUZA”, A SOLO EXHIBITION FOR EMERGING CONTEMPORARY ARTIST PRANSHU THAKORE, WHICH WILL BE THE FIRST SOLO SHOW FOR THE ARTIST IN THE UNITED STATES. PAINTINGS FOR THIS EXHIBITION EXPLORE THEMES OF PERSONHOOD AND IMAGINATION, AND THE REFLECTION OF ONE’S INNER LIFE THROUGH THE FANTASTICAL RENDERINGS OF ABSTRACT AND DIVINE CREATURES. HER IMAGERY IS EVOCATIVE OF A COMMUNAL IMAGINATION, FORMED THROUGH MEMORIES AND THE ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN ANTHROPOMORPHIC FORMS AND SACRED SYMBOLS. VIVID DEPICTIONS OF MYTHOLOGICAL FIGURES PLAY IN TOTEMIC SPACES AND TELL STORIES THAT PLACE HUMAN EXPERIENCE WITHIN A LARGER ENTANGLEMENT OF THE NATURAL WORLD.
THAKORE (B. 1997, VADODARA, GUJARAT, INDIA) STUDIED PAINTING AT THE MAHARAJA SAYAJIRAO UNIVERSITY OF BARODA IN INDIA AND SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED HER MA IN PAINTING AT THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART IN LONDON, WHERE SHE CURRENTLY LIVES AND WORKS. SHE HAS WORKED WITH A VARIETY OF MEDIUMS, FROM PAINTING AND SCULPTURE, TO FOUND OBJECTS, CONSTRUCTING NARRATIVES THAT ARE TRANSFORMATIVE AND INQUISITIVE OF OUR CULTURAL ROOTS.
FROM THE ARTIST
BY USING SYMBOLS AND OTHER ABSTRACT FICTIONAL CREATURES I AM TRYING TO CREATE AN IMAGINARY WORLD OF MY OWN WHICH DRIVES OUT FROM FANTASIES AND POINTS TOWARDS THE DIVINE BEING… THE FORMS THAT ARE LIVING IN AN IMAGINARY WORLD TEND TO RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR EXISTENCE AND NATURE. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN LIGHT AND EXIST WEIGHTLESSLY. LOOKING AT VISUALS FROM ANCIENT, PRIMITIVE, AND ONGOING TRIBAL AND FOLK PRACTICES, IS A VERY INTRIGUING PART OF MY PRACTICE AS IT QUESTIONS THE BASIC PRIMITIVE BEHAVIOUR OF HUMANS, WHICH IS QUITE RELATABLE TO THAT OF AN ANIMAL. THE PAINTINGS HELP SEEK TRUTH, THEY ENQUIRE OF THE VIEWER TO QUESTION THEMSELVES AND DIG DEEP INTO WHO THEY REALLY ARE, SEEKING THE ORIGINAL TRUTH. THERE IS A CELEBRATION OF LIVING CREATURES RESIDING WITH EACH OTHER IN HARMONY, THEY TAKE SHAPE LIKE HOW WATER FILLS UP STREAMS AND YET CAN FIT INTO A POT.
SEEKING ANSWERS FROM THE WORLD AROUND ME,
THE VAST BLUE BLUE SKY REMINDING ME OF INFINITE EXISTENCE,
THE SOIL MAKES ME FEEL LIKE HOME,
THE HIGHS OF THE MOUNTAIN TO REACH ULTIMATE CONSCIOUSNESS,
THE LIGHT OF THE SUN GUIDES ME IN COMING BACK TO LIFE,
THE DEPTHS OF WATER REVEALS THE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE,
THE STILLNESS AND MOVEMENT OF AIR HELPS ME KEEP GOING,
THESE LIFE FORCES BRING ME TO ETERNITY,
IT IS A UNION WHERE I FOUND THE ROUTE TO ENDLESS TREASURE.
