#Art Writer

[prism-garden]

Prism Gardens - a conceptual writing project

I haven't typed in an online blog post in probably, 10 years. I've typed emails, project proposals, cover letters, grants, but never just to type. I already feel good. It's nice to have the fingers flow for just pure expression and not for some reason to ask for a job or money. I write in my journals of course, but after a few pages it does get tiresome.

I wanted a place to talk about my process for making art, sharing my conceptual ideas, collaborations, thoughts on art I'm seeing and how it relates to my life. I suppose this place would be purely for me, but I won't have it be private in case there are people out there actually interested in those things, - in written form, atleast. Anyone can look at a tweet or instagram post/reel - does anyone read blogs anymore? Does anyone WRITE in blogs anymore? I'm about 20 years too late, I fear. Alas.

Prism Gardens.

As a multimedia light artist, which I fondly and loftily refer to myself, I use prisms in my work. My photographic work, my installation work, it's a big part of my practice. I guess I can say it's a relevant and consistent motif. Prisms perfectly encapsulate light, displaying refraction. Looking through them almost gives the eyes a new view of reality - distorting it, adding facets and layers in it's kaleidoscopic nature. The prism represents my approach to art making. Not only do I play with light and discover its capabilities, I would also say I distort, bend, offer and alter different realities through portals, dreamscapes, memories.

And that's just one prism! We're talking gardens, now. We're talking a space for many of these magical objects to flourish, display dazzling scenes of light while sharing doors into new worlds of inspiration, thought, and innovation.

I'm not sure this blog will reflect such magnificence, but it will certainly be an outlet for the process of it all. And the process isn't just for making art, but teaching, curating, and collaborating - things that all make up who I am as a creator, educator, curator, etc. (lover, poet, magician, scientist, etc...)

I think writing about my process in depth will help me understand myself more as an artist, my contribution to society, my goals and dreams; it will serve as a manifestation tool.

At the very least, it will have me be off my phone, so I'm already winning.

[shreyaajmani]

Molding Our Story with Misha Japanwala

What would you like to say to aspiring South Asian artists?

There is a need for you to express yourself and put yourself out there. I think it’s important to understand that our experience is valid and our work is necessary. 

Excerpt from Misha Japanwala’s Interview on Art She Says.

Text by Shreya Ajmani

Photograph by Zayira Ray

[ad-wills]

[ursulaklegay]

its so scary to put yourself out there but a SINGLE message saying "hi i loved what you made it touched me in some way" makes it all worth it 10000%

[sylvies-kablooie]

i do unironically think the best artists of our generation are posting to get 20 notes and 3 reblogs btw. that fanfic with like 45 kudos is some of the best stuff ever written. those OCs you carry around have some of the richest backstories and worldbuilding someone has ever seen. please do not think that reaching only a few people when you post means your art isn't worth celebrating.

[sourdough-seal]

hey i know i asked for constructive criticism but what i actually wanted was for you to tell me i'm extremely talented. and also pretty. sorry if that was unclear

[poetryforall]

[avemikesszz]

[ren-is-real]

You know when

[burntblueberrywaffles]

[I.D. an edited pyramid graph of maslow's hierarchy of needs where large text covering every section of basic, psychological and self-fulfillment needs read "people online telling me they like the thing i made". end I.D.] (image description by @lemondoddle )

[raggedytiger]

this is so bad but i permanently cropped the file so brutally that i can no longer edit it. whoops! also panels 4-7 were fully coloured but it looks better without for some reason. pomni (penny?) is such an ugly crier. i love my horrible failgirl accountant

[unchartedthelostlegacy]

i love graffiti. "comics and jazz are the only american art forms" you forgot graffiti. did you remember graffiti? That art form birthed in Philly and NYC in the early 70s by poor Black kids. that art form that spread all over the world and influenced so many. that's used without irony in commercials when they're trying to appeal to a "young urban" customer.

did you forget graffiti? that racism broken windows theory victim? that reach the establishment takes claiming that it's exclusively violent gang members throwing up those full-color pieces and wildstyle tags in the middle of the night outsmarting fifty security cameras because the billboard was ugly anyway. as if, even if it was, it wouldn't be impressive as all hell. risking brutality and fall damage so your art can occupy the space a gentrified condo named something like "Coluumna" took away from you. proving that despite only assholes affording to live here anymore there's still a soul beneath it. an animal with dripping stripes and teeth that go clack-clack tsssss

[usefulquotes7]

Maturity is when you realize people can't give you what they can't give themselves, so you stop expecting loyalty from people who betray themselves, stop expecting honesty from people who lie to themselves, and stop expecting peace from people who are at war with themselves.

[ad-wills]

[iknowmorethanyou]

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[soul-from-another-era]