Rajarshi Smart

My work is an exploration of the various realities that exist and how they relate to our own. Through glass surfaces, layers of reflection are seen, allowing us to observe details that become revealing stories. These stories can be relatable, distant, incomprehensible, or even include us as part of the narrative. During the lockdown, I used stories from Mahabharata and Ramayana to draw inspiration for this set of cyanotype prints that reflect on these underlying thoughts. In these works, the artist aims to capture the icon-like simplicity of our ever-changing world and imprint it on the imagination of the viewer. Rather than presenting an ideal way of perceiving life, these prints emphasize individual perceptions as people interpret them in their own manner. They contain several narratives that flow through various clusters of small stories, begging one to wonder about the relevance and connection of these characters to modern times.