We live in times of strange contradictions. Even as means and mediums of artistic expression are burgeoning in numbers, artists everywhere are being compelled to school themselves to more painfully constricting guidelines on rectitude. A new breed of artists though is dodging it all—and bravely so. They are the ones taking Instagram by storm as they showcase bold new concepts fearlessly, post after post, to a live worldwide audience 24/7. We got the fiery warrior Opashona Ghosh to share with us her ammunition.
Opashona Ghosh: This illustrator with a degree in Communication Design from Central Saint Martins (London) calls herself an accidental artist. Ghosh works and lives between Kolkata, London and Berlin, with a body of work known for its feminist approach to mental and sexual health, and club culture. When not dissecting the anatomy of femme desire, she collaborates with queer collectives and parties.
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Voice extraordinaire: “My voice and strong intent is a product of being born and brought up in a patriarchal society that historically benefits from the silence or passivity of women and queer folks. My work is an abstraction of my personal curiosities, research and experiences, in deep conversation with my queer community.”
Joys of Insta: “Instagram is a curious rhizomatic ecosystem connecting me to folks dedicated to shake up the status quo, ask the difficult questions and bring in softness and humour where necessary, and also connecting me to their sources of knowledge. It’s also a useful tool for those who are trying to find new independent spaces for distribution of art and dialogue, and avoid the toxic ‘white cube box’ that historically serves the boring/rich/entitled often misogynist variety of men.”
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Did you know?: “Instagram is a great tool for the queer independent dance scene as well—my work with collectives and parties such as SIREN (London), Room 4 Resistance (Berlin), inner u (London), BEAMING (London), and re:lax (London) has opened up a whole new world that connected me to talented musicians, euphoric queer dancefloors and sounds, which continue to be the most satisfying.”
Finding fuel: “I find inspiration in the pessimism and dark humour of folks of my generation, in the confidence and resourcefulness of the younger folks, in conversations with my friends, balanced with words of wisdom from Audre Lorde, Angela Davis, Arundhati Roy, Donna Harraway, Edward Said, and works of Bjork, The Knife and other mischief-makers who have (had) the guts to stand up for what they believe in. I have recently grown to love and admire Mumbai-based artist and dear friend, Sarah Naqvi.”
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Drawing to heal: “I use drawing as a way to meditate on matters that personally challenge my sense of self. Every piece has a story and has helped me to unlearn years of conditioning in the process of slow making.”
