Beyond canvas: Spectators turn artists at interactive art exhibitions in Chennai

CHENNAI: At first glance, the psychedelic cat with piercing eyes would seem like an artwork by itself. But you scan the eye with your mobile phone and see the actual artwork - “nature spirits in a dream-like setting, with personal messages” according to artist Julie Stephen Chheng. The art exhibition – Fortune Teller – at Alliance Francaise is an interactive projection where the eyes “represents various elements of nature such as fire and earth, each of which has its own philosophy attached to it,” says the artist. “In India, eyes are the doorways to imagination, and the universe.”An augmented reality narrative experience is part of the show, where the spectators enter a room where the eyes incarnate themselves through illustrations. “In interactive art, the spectator is the main character, and has a lot to do,” says Julie. “It deepens emotional engagement as the appreciation depends on how each spectator interprets the messages which appear on screen.”The collaborative digital art exhibition at Inko centre by Berlin based Indian artist Sam Madhu and Seoyoon Yoon from Korea, transforms the gallery into a space of moving images, sound and light, presented as animated loops. Drawing from Korean and Indian beauty practices, the exhibition merges both traditions – the deep red Indian Bindis and the similar red dots worn by Korean brides - with futurism through CGI, 3D modelling and digital fashion. “Both of us are digital artists,” says Sam Madhu, who met Seoyoon through Instagram. “Digital art is complicated unlike how people perceive it. But you don’t need models, photographers or lighting. Everything can instantly be translated into ideas.” Digital art is sustainable as well; the artists help a lot in fashion which can be an incredibly polluting industry, says Sam.The design philosophy of Seoyoon’s artworks is all about recreating something futuristic from traditional fashion and the digital medium suited the concept well, she says. At the same time, she acknowledges that technology has its limitations. “I’m a fashion designer who works in both physical and digital worlds, where we create real garments with digital tools. But the texture and the fabric can be different from the digital art versions in real life.” The ongoing Madras art guild and the Chennai photo biennale also include digital and cross art works. While digital as a part of the creative process is here to stay, the artist’s skills are still crucial, says Parvathi Nayar, visual artist and writer. “Perhaps their intellect and conceptualisation become even more important now."The definition of the role of the artist has already changed, she says. "When digital photography was introduced, it was believed that anyone could now take photos. Sculptors are creating works through 3D printing. We can’t put the genie back in the bottle. What matters now is what we do with the genie.”