New Delhi, 28th March 2019: Art big or small has an effect, that you are often left struggling for words to express your feelings. A former 40 seater college bus had a similar effect on people who saw the rendition ‘Inside Out’ by Ritika Mittal at World University of Design, UGC recognized and India’s first and only University dedicated to education in the creative domain. This work of Art that left people with an amazing and inexpressible feeling was made by Ritika Mittal, an emerging artist from Delhi, who was invited to take up residence at the campus as a part of the annual ‘Artist in Residence’ IMG_1939program hosted by the School of Visual Arts at WUD.
The ‘Artist in Residence’ program at WUD brings together contemporary art showcase, education and creative people to the WUD campus, to spend time away from their usual environment and commitments. During her stay, Ritika spent a lot of time interacting with the students, developing concepts, exploring materials and inspiring them to explore personal narratives through their art. Ritika also explored nearby areas and connected with the locals to gather their perspective towards developing art projects that are community-driven and socially integrated.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Vice-Chancellor, WUD said, “The ‘Artist in Residence’ program is designed to open the campus to the best of emerging talent around the world and also exposes our students to the day-to-day experiences of artistic practice. Ritika Mittal was chose out of nearly 40 applications we had received from around the world for a residency with WUD. As part of the program, the artists publicly perform and exhibit their work every spring semester, fostering a climate of intellectual and cultural inquiry that strengthens the University community. We are the only fully design focused university in India and through this program, we aim at simulating the creative energies of our students by enabling connections and facilitating their professional development.”
Ritika’s project involved the old college bus as her site and studio. She developed an experiential installation called ‘Inside Out’. The work was inspired by the life of construction workers on the campus and the small cultural pockets that they create for themselves. Using video, sound and installations, Ritika transformed the interior of the bus into an experiential space where one negotiates the intimacy of a workers lunch or an afternoon nap.
Ritika Mittal on the occasion said, “The opportunity to work with such a talented pool of artists allowed me to create the project ‘Inside Out’. The outcome gives a unique perspective to life. There is no dearth of talent in India and I feel WUD is a hub of talent, teachers and the apt environment to nurture their creativity.”
There was an active exchange of ideas, with the audience developing personal connections with Ritika’s artistic intervention. In addition to the showcase of her artwork, Ritika indulged in an open discussion with the students, and participated in in-depth dialogues and critiques.
The Artist Residency Program culminated with an exhibition by students who got the opportunity to exhibit their work of art alongside called ‘Bits and Pieces’, showcasing exploration of materiality done during the residency.
