Aditi Aggarwal

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Red Brick Residency Project (after Abol Tabol)

(PS Plate Lithography and Serigraphy)
 

Notes:

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আয়রে ভ োলো ভেয়োল-ভেোলো (Ay re bholA kheyAl kholA) Come happy fool whimsical cool
স্বপনর োলো নোচিরয় আয়, (svapandolA bAjiye Ay) Come dreaming dancing fancy-free
আয়রে পোগল আর োল তোর োল (Ay re pAgal Abol tAbol) Come mad musician glad glusician
মত্ত মো ল োজিরয় আয়। (matta mAdal bAjiye Ay) Beating your drum with glee

[Glibberish-Gibberish, p.3 : Abol Tabol by Sukanta Chaudhuri](1)
 

Coming to Kolkata, I was immediately fascinated by the vibrant atmosphere that surrounded me. One of the first texts I encountered was "Abol Tabol," which translates to "The Weird and the Absurd." This collection of Bengali children's poems and rhymes by Sukumar Ray captivated me with its whimsical nature and aesthetic of nonsense. The words "Abol Tabol" lingered in my mind, prompting me to explore their meanings, which included descriptors like unrelated, unsorted, aesthetics of nonsense, weird and random, playful bounces of perfectly fine choices, and even faulty in places. Inspired by this book, I embraced the freedom to work without a preconceived narrative or definitive meaning. My process involved a style of free association, aiming to create a sort of 'compositional gibberish.' This approach allowed me to abstract both time and space, articulating spaces of anxiety and dysfunction. The illustrations of composite creatures from "Abol Tabol" found their way into my prints, set against backgrounds derived from photos I took during my residency, primarily at our residence. The creative process synthesized painting, drawing, photography, and collage into a cohesive whole. The resulting images and videos overflowed with information, conveying multiple viewpoints simultaneously to communicate the intensity of the city. The results were both inexplicable and familiar, kaleidoscopic, and bordering on the psychedelic. The videos became a moving-image sketchbook, capturing the essence of Kolkata. Kolkata's rich historical and cultural heritage evoked memories of childhood trips to amusement parks, where I was enthralled by the architectural wonders. This city required a multifaceted approach to capture its essence, leading me to seek extensions to my work outside the studio. I recognized that every image and object holds inherent meaning, and by combining many objects, new, unique meanings could emerge—much like how several short stories form a larger narrative. Working on this project allowed me to explore the possibility of letting images lose their traditional meanings under the weight of the spectacle. The experience became an exploration of synthesis, where disparate elements came together to form a cohesive and dynamic expression of Kolkata's essence.

References:
 

• Sukanta Chaudhuri's translation of "Abol Tabol" (1987), highlights the nonsensical and whimsical nature of Sukumar Ray's work. "Abol Tabol" - A collection of Bengali children's poems and rhymes by Sukumar Ray, first published on 19 September 1923 by U. Ray and Sons publishers.

• The Surrealist technique of free association is included in "Automatism."

• Red Brick Residency - Our residence on Sarat Bose Road, a bungalow from the 1940s or 50s furnished with paintings, antiques, and period furniture. This location, along with caretakers Nandu Bhaiya and Shankar Dada, featured in my compositions. The residency also served as an archive for the building’s surroundings, objects, and memories, especially since the bungalow was set to be sold or demolished after our stay.