Sculptor Dhruva Mistry doesn’t like the idea of a studio space. His creations are usually born on the computer in his bedroom before being brought to life elsewhere!
What is the primary role of an artist?
DM: As an artist, I feel well equipped to explore and express available means and materials in my environment. The cultural history of various civilizations and the history of the 20th century offer inspiring insight into the flow of creative thought, be it art, craft, literature, science, architecture or technology. The arts provide opportunities for appreciation, dialogue, debate and necessary discernment in a world where human greed, suffering and pain continue to threaten us.
Artists often experience contradicting motivations, commercial versus the creative. How do you strike a balance?
DM: To work for myself without expectation of material returns has motivated me from my early days. In my case, often the personal seems to have become public in terms of outdoor and sculptural exploration. My motives in life and work remain rather stoic, and commercial gain does not figure there. The curiosity to explore ideas of form and self-expression might not make you popular or rich, but it brings peace and stops the unsavory waste of time.
What inspires you?
DM: Over the years different things have interested me in sculpture. Some popular images and other unexplored ideas of sculptural expression make me think of traditional and contemporary ideas through their formal, visual presence and conceptual and cultural reference.