Artist Subodh Gupta on why he continues to work with steel utensils, aluminium buckets: 'They are heavy with stories & emotions'

Artist Subodh Gupta's works have been shown in exhibitions and art biennales around the world. (Image via X)

At Shalini Passi's inaugural MASH Ball in Delhi, artist couple Subodh Gupta and Bharti Kher made a bit of a splash with their "bartan hats" (see below). The hats, of course, were referencing Gupta's own work in which he often combines used utensils and other everyday household items to create larger-than-life sculptures. The objects that become part of Gupta's work typically have their own histories of use in Indian homes. The MASH Ball happened in November 2023, but it was featured more recently on Netflix show 'Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives' (the OTT show released on October 18, 2024).

Bharti Kher at the MASH Ball. (Image via Instagram)

Subodh Gupta, of course, is among the best-known contemporary Indian artists in the world today. After doing art shows around the globe at venues from the Smithsonian Museum of Asian Art in the US to the National Gallery of Victoria, Australia, Gupta is returning to Patna with an exhibition at the Bihar Museum. Titled 'The Way Home', the show includes his earliest (Twenty-nine Mornings) and latest (Guccha) installations as well as paintings.

Gupta grew up in a railway town in Bihar in the 1960s and '70s, and trained in painting at the College of Art, Patna, from 1983-88. In an email interview, Gupta explained what it means to him to show his work in Bihar now, and why he continues to incorporate kitchen utensils and household items like buckets in his artworks. Excerpts:

What does it mean to you to show your art in Bihar, your home state, after doing solo exhibitions around the world?

Exhibiting my work in Bihar holds immense personal significance. 'The Way Home' came to life after years of discussions with Anjani Kumar Singh (director general of the Bihar Museum), who shared my belief that the deep connection between my work and Bihar needed to be shared. The Bihar Museum, with its impressive scale and contemporary design, provides the perfect space to realize this vision.

This exhibition feels like a homecoming—a return to my roots and a tribute to the place and experiences that have profoundly shaped me. Much of my work is inspired by my early life in Bihar—my family, my college days, and the railway town where I grew up. These influences have been central to my artistic journey, and it has long been my hope to share them with an audience in Patna.

To exhibit here, after presenting my work across the globe, is an incredibly emotional and fulfilling experience. It is an opportunity to honour Bihar’s role in my story and celebrate the unique relationship between art, memory, and place.

How did you select the works for this show? They date from 2003 to 2024—was there a certain criterion they had to satisfy?

'The Way Home' encapsulates my journey, bringing together the essence of my life, roots, and artistic evolution. The works chosen for this exhibition reflect the themes and memories that have been central to my creativity—my family, the railway town where I grew up, and the middle-class life that shaped my outlook. I have around 24 large works in the show, spanning from 1999 to my latest pieces.

For instance, 'Door' is a key piece in the show, symbolizing openings, closures, possibilities, dreams, and endings. It holds profound meaning for me, as it represents the transitions and choices that define a life. Similarly, 'Gehri Neend' explores the concept of sleep as a portal to another world, one that transcends human reality. It delves into metaphors of death and unawareness, themes eloquently addressed by poets such as William Shakespeare, John Keats, and Kabir Das. Growing up in a family marked by tragedy, I found a deep resonance in these ideas, which continue to inform my artistic practice.

Door (left) and Gehri Neend by Subodh Gupta.

The works featured in this exhibition represent a homecoming, honouring my connection to Bihar while reflecting years of exploration and the experiences that have shaped me as an artist. Each piece serves as a thread in the larger tapestry of my journey, intertwining personal memory with universal themes. I wanted to provide art lovers with a comprehensive look at my artistic practice. Although I was trained as a painter, I’m a multidisciplinary artist, so I work with various media. In this show, you’ll see paintings, sculptures, video works, and installations. Each piece is carefully chosen to showcase the breadth and depth of my work.

⁠Tell us about Twenty-nine Mornings, and why you continue to work with kitchen utensils and household items to make art.

'Twenty-nine Mornings' (1997) was one of my earliest works inspired by my roots. It featured 29 stools (patlas) arranged on the floor, each adorned with objects and images that deeply connected me to my childhood. This piece holds a special place in my artistic journey, as it allowed me to delve into the profound relationship between memory, identity, and everyday materials. It is now part of the collection at the Fukuoka Museum in Japan.

Kitchen utensils and household items remain central to my practice because they are heavy with stories and emotions. These objects are common yet intensely personal, carrying the essence of lived experiences and cultural rituals of the kitchen. By incorporating them into my work, I seek to bridge the ordinary with the symbolic, creating art that speaks to the shared human experience while reflecting my own history and heritage.

Rajdhani Express by Subodh Gupta

Your paintings echo the themes and forms of your sculptures. Tell us about how you approach painting vs your larger-than-life sculptures.

Although I was trained as a painter, I’m a multidisciplinary artist, so I work with various media. but painting holds a special place in my heart. I’ve never actually stopped painting all through my life and both practices meet in so many ways. The dynamic of the sculpture finds space to breathe in the painting. Subjects always intertwine and converge. I see this as a natural process in the work that always converses.

⁠Finally, I remember seeing the ‘Line of Control’, a large sculpture in the lobby leading up to KNMA in Saket, and the dismantling of it late one night. Your works, including Yantra at Bihar Museum, are usually installed for much longer than most art exhibits. Do you think about their eventual dismantling? How do you see/reconcile with the idea?

Much of the site work takes days if not weeks to install. The production and assembly require a lot of planning and specialized manpower. The team for Line of Control, for example, came from London. The thing is you have to make way for other things… whether that’s your own or someone else. That’s why I also believe making books is essential for artists. It’s the record of the life of a work when it all comes down for a while.

'The Way Home' is on at the Bihar Museum, Patna, till February 15, 2025.