As a school-going child in Mumbai, Bharati Pitre was intrigued by the parallel life that existed in Mumbai chawls. She recalls the families living together as one — literally and figuratively. “There may hardly be any space to accommodate people in a room, but that never stops them from inviting people over. Despite the space crunch, the door is always open for neighbours to come in. The families lack privacy but they will never overstep your boundaries and get intrusive,” explains the papier-mâché artist.
These are among the many memories that have metamorphosed into art works in her current exhibition, Look Once Look Twice. Such scenes can evoke many an emotion including mirth. As she says, “There are comical moments all around you — all you have to do is observe.” To illustrate her point, she talks of workers who grind grains at flourmills. “There’s always a layer of powder over their body. Chances are that you may never recognise this guy without wheat flour on his face. He has made peace with his appearance, and so have his customers,” she says.
While this scene hasn’t made it to the exhibition, moments from the common balcony, intimate moments exchanged by a father-son duo, the captivating contortions made by a woman taking a selfie are among those that have. One such papier mâché sculpture is ‘Three Sisters’, inspired by her own life. “My mother would find some fabric, and then stitch it in different styles and patterns, depending on our personalities. To this day, this memory reiterates that my sisters and I are cut from the same cloth,” she explains.
Bharati’s foray into papier-mâché happened after she quit her job in an advertising firm. She says, “I was working as a commercial artist and I realised I was someone who likes to get my hands dirty. Once I discovered papier-mâché, there was no going back for me.”
Working with papier mâché comes with its own challenges. “You need loads of patience to work with this medium. Otherwise, it will teach you to be patient,” she jokes. “I am someone who is bursting with ideas when I start working on sculpting. If I get too enthusiastic, I could ruin the sculpture, and may need to work on it from scratch. I have learnt to admire this quality since it helps me streamline my thoughts,” she explains.
After working with this medium for 15 years, the artist thinks that there’s a lot more to be explored. “I feel like I am at the foot of a mountain, and still have a long way to go.” She concludes, “It is an economical art form. These sculptures are light, but are extremely strong. The best part is you can continue transforming it if you aren’t happy with the final outcome.”
The show is open till February 6 at Jehangir Gallery in Kala Ghoda.
