A Conversation with Shri Prayag Shukla

A major highlight of the 23rd edition of the 'Abhivyakti Ek Prayaas' exhibition was an informal and profoundly engaging interaction between the Guest of Honour, Shri Prayag Shukla, and the participating student artists. In a cozy, intimate setup, Shri Shukla, the highly regarded Indian poet and pioneering Hindi art critic, sat surrounded by the students, sharing his lifetime of experiences, opinions, and wisdom, providing deep motivation to the young minds. This memorable masterclass went beyond standard critiques, focusing instead on the philosophy, practice, and fundamental purpose of art.

Shri Prayag Shukla offered several compelling insights, particularly concerning the relationship between the artwork and the viewer. He advised students to shift the focus from explanation to interpretation. If a viewer inquires about the meaning of a piece, the artist should respond by asking the viewer what they understand from it, stressing, "It's a visual language; the viewer has to understand, just as in theatre or movies." He firmly asserted that "No art is without thought," and strongly encouraged students to engage with literature and read poetry. He cited examples of poets and mentioned his own connection to art literature, including the book he authored on the great artist J. Swaminathan, urging students to utilize their available resources and read widely.

Addressing the common anxieties surrounding professional recognition, he offered a valuable perspective: "Ask any big critic in the world, they can only name 10 people; it's not worth it to run behind fame." He encouraged students to simply focus on the joy and quality of their creation, stating that true appreciation is organic and inevitable: "Just focus on working, people will come to you, they'll find you and your work on their own." He recounted a personal incident where he was compelled to seek out an artist whose work he admired, emphasizing that only working with true joy is necessary, and "rest everything will happen on its own."

He taught that the core message is not the stylistic facade, but the 'script' or the foundational thought behind the work. He advised artists to "find your own script (lipi)"—the underlying concept that will guide every subsequent artwork. The essence lies in the reality of the work itself, which the artist must reflect upon, allowing the viewer to interpret it freely. He further suggested that the work must possess an inherent quality or "main deposit" that demands attention, ensuring the viewer stops and looks at it entirely on their own volition.

The most profound teaching was the concept of the "24/7 Artist." Shri Shukla emphasized that being an artist is a constant state of observation and being: "You are an artist 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; you need to observe everything around you." He illustrated this with a vivid example of a lamp, noting how the flame continuously changes its form and how the wick itself will eventually change, calling this constant transformation "art." He stressed that even if one creates only a single artwork in a year, maintaining the artistic mindset 24/7 is essential. In response to a student's question about starting a work with a thought but never fully grasping the final creation, Shri Shukla replied with reassurance, "That's the truest form of art. Everything is art."

He concluded by encouraging the students to build upon what they have learned, highlighting that only through consistent daily practice does something truly become beautiful. Expressing his personal delight, he stated that the exhibition had "rejuvenated him from the inside." Shri Prayag Shukla brought the session to a close by reciting a few of his own evocative lines: "Tum ghatana mat apna ped, tab bhi nahi jab log karne lage uska hisaab, mat ghatana apna ped, nahi toh band kar degi bolna tumse chidiya yeh, muh fer lega aasmaan, nahi ghatana apna ped," and delighted the students by enacting his famous children’s rhyme, "Dhammak Dhammak Aata Haathi, Dhammak Dhammak Jaata Haathi."