ARTIST STATEMENT
I am a Multimedia Fiber Artist from India. The creative power of Art feeds my soul, inspired by my roots, life, travels. Coming from a country with a rich heritage, my art inherently becomes a melting pot to create a multicultural ‘canvas’.
My current body of work has been a focus on translucent weaving with a traditional technique called Jamdani used in India and Bangladesh. The simple inlay technique has produced millions of 6-yard sarees, each taking months to weave. My intent is not to recreate the traditional designs and sarees but to use the time-honored technique to enhance my woven compositions. I realized that the opaque areas of the inlays could create fascinating shadows with strategic lighting, adding an interesting dimension to the translucent weaving. It’s an ongoing exploration and am yet to see where the journey takes me.
I contemplate on how cultures, countries are bound together by the warp and weft of civilization, how we are wrapped in cloth ever since our inception! My journey of jamdani continues to weave those cultures together in an ambiguous way.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Boisali Biswas is a studio artist working in mixed-media fibers, currently residing in West Bloomfield, MI. She is originally from India, and her formative years were spent at Visva-Bharti International University, founded by the Nobel Laureate, Rabindranath Tagore. The essence of that profound experience of being in tune with nature throughout the educational journey has stayed with her and continues to influence her work. She has always had a deep-rooted attachment to the traditional art forms of her culture-rich homeland. There is an underlying influence of the captivating traditional patterns and techniques and usage of stunningly rich array of colors in Indian art. Living in this country for over 2 decades and adapting to Western styles, techniques, inspirations in concert with her background and fascinations has made her Art into a cauldron of multicultural assemblages that are very unique and feast for the eyes.
© Boisali Biswas