Capturing the migrant story in collages

Perth-based artist Hitesh Natwala recently showed his exhibition of new works titles Paksploytation at Gallery Barry Keldoulis. He spoke to Shivangi Ambani-Gandhi about the vivid and diverse imagery he has employed in the new works.

Q. There are quite a few different themes running through the series in this exhibition – is there a thread of thought linking the works?

Most of these works were based on my experiences in India when I was there for a show for Chatterjee & Lal. The works may look unconnected, but that is because my visit to India entails a myriad of experiences.

Q. I understand the title of the show, Paksploytation is a combination of Pakistan + exploitation? What is the story behind this title?

The title came from the genre blacksploytation movies from the 60s and 70s that were mostly black and came out of America. I loved these movies. In fact, they remind me of bollywood movies because of their heightened sense of drama and all the tacky Dushum Dushum.

Q. Please tell us about the Agni, Akash... series and the films you have picked for these works

The series of posters were chosen partly because they were movies I loved as a child. The poster for Agni was chosen for its graphic, because it seemed to encapsulate the title of the show. Stragely this one ended up being one of my favourite pieces in the show.

Q Tell us about the use of self portraits in these works. Was it fun painting yourself as a muscular, Hollywood star?

It was a lot of fun painting myself as a muscular hero, though I am not fooling myself or anyone else I am sure. I have been painting myself in the works for a couple of years now and I do it in order to represent the Indian in the world at large. It is why I am dressed in typical travellers garb, the hat and the puffer jacket.

Our communities are getting out in the world, both as migrants and as tourists without economic or political reasons. In the case of my family and others in our community in London, we are the first generation to be able to do that.

Q. Why are these works names after the five elements?

The elements were about further developing the overlaying of East & West and hence hinting at the developing of an in-between culture as so many of us Indian have had to do living and working in the western world.

In the Indian elements are 4 of the 5 basic elements important to human life as taught to us by Hinduism: Water, Earth, Sky and Air (roughly) and in the posters are the 4 main elements important to modern western life, namely sex, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll and fashion.

The African masks in these works hint at the place where I was born and the Australian women’s magazine (used as the backdrop) reflects where I live now.

Q. The use of womens’ magazines seems to be a continuing fascination for you. Is your house piled up with old magazines?

I have used old bits of paper ever since I was at art school and had a love of Kurt Schwitters and the art of collage. I found these Australian Women’s Magazines from the 50s and 60s a few years ago in a former studio. I loved them and wanted to use them in my art.

When I started the recent works and wanted to layer reference points from all the different cultures I have experienced, it seemed like the perfect time to be using these magazines as part of the Australian experience.

And yes, I do have a lot of old magazines, books and odd bits of paper which i have to take wherever I move (Hitesh recently moved from Sydney to Perth).


Q. These works are also quite a significant departure from your earlier sticky dot works... what drove the change?

The difference in these works and the series I did for the India show is that they are partially worked in the computer. In a former life I was a professional illustrator and missed using those skills. I enjoyed introducing this medium as a fresh new layer in my works. I also think the brightly-coloured graphical nature of computer imagery fits in well within my aesthetic interests.

Q. The floral works... Blue Columbine, Magnolia, Red Canna and Brevipetala... look like a more meticulous and detailed version of your previous floral works. Tell us about these works.

I wanted to look at flowers that grow relatively near me and blow them up to look at them on a larger scale. As a reminder of their beauty obviously but also as a way of saying that issues regarding the nature are looming large, with so much of land clearing happening for thousands of miles around Perth. The shapes around the flowers represent old fences, fencing in nature as if in a bid to control it.

Q. Why do you work with sticky dots? Is there a meditative quality to your craft of sticking dots?

My father was an accountant and the punching of the holes harks back to the days when I would help him with his accountancy practice at home by punching and tilling paper.

I love the idea of crafting of crafting my art—it is reminiscent of how so much both Indian and African arts and crafts have that carefully crafted and highly colourful qualities.

Q. The amoebic images in "He gave a gentle little nudge towards it" and "And everyone seemed to be talking at once" are quite similar to your previous abstract work. What those images mean to you?

These works followed the flower pieces and came about when looking closely at the flowers. I noticed a bee sitting on one of them. I then decided to try and design some abstracts that encapsulate those fleeting moments in nature we all observe. They are ephemeral, but momentous and remind us of the fragile beauty of nature.

Works from Paksployation can be viewed at:www.gbk.com.au/artists/hitesh-natalwala/paksploytation

Hitesh will also show at the Hong Kong Art Fair in May 2010 and later for Chatterjee & Lal, Delhi at the end of 2010.