VAGARAM CHOUDHARY

Jodhpur (Rajasthan), India

Painting, installation, video art

Blog

Workshop Space: Spinnerei

Title: Panorama

Textile installation

Photo  © Joop van Reeken

“I am interested in the way of life of different communities and observe what differences in nature within their local history and character are considered art. As an artist, I have always had to invent and create from scratch, i.e. from found indigenous materials / objects / events, using the environment as a starting point,” Vagaram Choudhary outlines his approach as an artist in his project description.

With his colourful yet delicate textile installation, the Indian-born artist created a kind of visual interaction between the local community and the historic background of Bocholt. The intention was to create a kind of Bocholt panorama, an installation that would refer to the history of the city with words or objects. To be able to realize this, he invited Bocholt citizens to send in photos and/or texts of objects that have to do with the past and with Bocholt. They could also be words or phrases that reflect the Bocholt dialect, or a collector’s item that is reminiscent of the city.

The result was 12 motifs printed or sewn on to feather-light red fabric. The historic Bocholt town hall and an old bicycle on display in the town museum are reproduced as images embroidered in gold thread. The saying “Nörgens bäter as in Bokelt” and the Meckermann words “Ik bün derteggen” shine in gold sequins. A view of the city of Bocholt from the 19th century can be seen as a blue-black print on the red cloth.

Visitors were allowed to move through the textile installation of delicate red cloths – making them one with the artwork for a moment.