Artist of the Week
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Artist: Apechhya Gurung
Artform: Artist What do you do and what are your main focuses? I’m a visual artist and my current focus of work is to achieve a multi-sensory environment that explores human relationships and exchanges of sexual identities between bodies in their despair reality. Through photography and video realm of work, my current focus of experimentation is to fetishize the colors and textures of materials which is used to form personified costumes that actively interacts with the human sex/body. The control of light in my work narrates the emotional context within the composition of the space as well as enhancing the visuals. It encloses the freedom of creative movement and the gazing experience. The choice of my materials for sets and costumes is organic as their raw physical attributes embodies melancholia so these ‘inanimate’ objects are treated as sentient beings when interacting with the ‘animate’ flesh. Where have you studied? I studied BA Fine Arts at University of Creative Arts, Canterbury. |
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Please tell us a bit about your photo 'On Polite, 2017'
The pre-production of this shoot taught me not to buy materials in bulk online or always call before a bulk purchase. I placed an order for sand thinking I’d get 5 kilos but on the day of delivery there was a truck unloading a massive bag of 800 kilograms right in front of my house. It sat there for 3 months before a group of builders decided to take it away. Why do you create? I yearn to exist in fictional time as well as being able to reflect the time we live in now so the shift between present, past and fiction, creative form is way to balance. I also derive a lot of pleasure from looking so I wish my work to engage with your gaze and evoke. You decide what it evokes, or doesn’t. |
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What are you influenced by?
The concept of my work has always been trying to understand human connection and sexuality, there are also other geographical and periodical factors that intersect in-between so I’m influenced by a lot. However, to heighten the sensorial aspects of my work I use the materials that I read, music and my close friends as my muse. I am also very fascinated by colour, movement and details in nature.
The concept of my work has always been trying to understand human connection and sexuality, there are also other geographical and periodical factors that intersect in-between so I’m influenced by a lot. However, to heighten the sensorial aspects of my work I use the materials that I read, music and my close friends as my muse. I am also very fascinated by colour, movement and details in nature.
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What are your future ambitions?
Artistically, my next move is to explore and execute ideas manifesting other senses such as smell and touch so it can all collectively be composed as an installation piece - it’s always been my main intention. I want to work on a small scale first and then I’ll look to collaborate with people from different fields of study who can help to expand my work in depth. What are you afraid of? Time. Not being able to accomplish everything that I want to do and learn. |
What challenges have you set for yourself?
The balance of trying to incorporate technology into my work and as well as sticking to craftsmanship because I enjoy the physical labor during the process of making.
The balance of trying to incorporate technology into my work and as well as sticking to craftsmanship because I enjoy the physical labor during the process of making.
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What is more important, talent or hard work?
To me, talent is a skill so if you’re interested in a specific field of work through open mindedness to learn, dedication and continuous hard work, you can master anything you passionately invest time and energy into. Anything interesting coming up soon? I’m currently working on a short film about (identity and) the internal struggle of acceptance. Simultaneously, I’m also doing preparation on more photoshoots. 
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