Thukral & Tagra’s Windows of Opportunity: Tongue-in-cheek, bold and brazen

PUBLISHED March 18th, 2013 03:02 am | UPDATED January 21st, 2016 07:41 am

If you’re an art lover, and haven’t heard the names Thukral & Tagra, you should be asking yourself where have you been.

Thukral & Tagra have been names on the lips of those in the know in the international art scene for the last ten years, quite rightly so because they have been right at the very forefront of a hungry, modern Indian art movement which has been taking the world by storm. And now it’s time you became well acquainted with them, right here in Singapore as their exhibition Windows of Opportunity opens on the 22nd March at Art Plural Gallery.

This dynamic duo, who have been collaborating since 2004 are known for their exploration of socio-political issues bubbling up in today’s India, the impact of globalization on consumer culture and the question of Indian identity in this changing landscape.

Be prepared to be immersed in their colourful dreamscape of provocative works which are rife with meaningful paradoxes, pulling meaningful issues out from under the carpet in a tongue-in-cheek, bold and brazen way, reflecting the themes of identity, consumerism and change which are at the heart of their works – something that will surely strike a chord with all of us.

We catch up with the artist duo in our interview here:

What is it like inside the minds of Thukral & Tagra?

As we all know that we have limited time, we have to make sense at every turn (at least to ourselves!) and create experiences! It is a constant search for subjects, and the mind gets tuned to this process. It is a routine of juggling between visuals and symbols, mixing them, juxtaposing them, and making bridges between what is real and unreal.

What would life be like without the other?

It is a collaboration, we never planned or strategized this. We have been working together for 10 years, and still have that excitement of making things and we would like to continue this.

What’s it like working together? Can you talk us through how you actually go about collaborating on a piece together?

It starts from a simple idea and then it progresses to a complex system, where medium comes in and the final series of work are conceived. There is always a rush to do things, we never divide, it’s just that one chooses to start from one point.

Your works fuse graphic design with high art references – how did that combination come about?

It came to us very naturally; we had a mixed education of fine art and design. Simply applying the knowledge of symbols and understanding of form, fuels our process.

What does your work say about India today? And how do you want it to challenge people’s preconceptions?

It is full of expectations, and aspirations. Most of the works talk about issues that we live today, and we find ourselves both guilty and proud at the same time to be a part of the system.

Are there any subjects you’d like to broach through your work which you have not done yet?

We would like to extend what we have been doing, making projects for education, and questioning our system, and beliefs.

You work across a number of mediums – is there any medium or technique you have yet to explore? Or perhaps explore more deeply? And where do you think that will take you?

We have been working with variety of materials, of course there are many possible mediums to explore. We have been keen on working on films.

What’s next for T&T?

More work! A museum show in Rome later this year and finishing a residency in Meissen, Germany.

Thukral & Tagra: Windows of Opportunity runs at Art Plural Gallery, 38 Armenian Street, 179942  from 22nd March – 25th May 2013. Entry is free. Open Monday – Saturday 11am – 7pm. For more information see their website here.