As we are moving forward to the next Building Bridges exhibition, which will open in Yangon on July 18th, we are here looking back at the experiences of four artists whose works were part of the Building Bridges shows in Kolkata, Delhi and Bangalore...

Ashok Vish

"The balancing act of what is the 'right thing' to do is the essential dilemma of being human. In the [Indian ancient] epics, it is the gods who negotiate this fundamental human confusion like the dilemma of choice. In my works..."

"The most exciting aspect about the Building Bridges project was taking part in it with thirteen other artists, fro other parts of the world, while all communication took place virtually...  Interacting and exchanging ideas with so many different artists was eye opening..."

Kate McElroy

"I was playing with the position of the hands...... What are the hands saying...  some of them look like they are  reaching out, some maybe are giving, or longing, and some look like they are defending or protecting.  It captures for me the contradicting human emotions when it comes to try to connect with people..."

"From the beginning [of the Building Bridges project] I saw the value of sharing ideas and showing the process of your thinking..... Working on this theme has opened up a lot of questions for me, and I feel I have sprouted a wealth of new thinking that will continue into my practice..."

Sarasija Subramanian

"... biodiversity exists in a 'third space', and that space is where humans and nature meet, because that relationship, and the way they mutually begin to adapt to one another, is where biodiversity is...   at the edge of cities, at the edge of civilizations, when  communication  starts to happen, that's when the changes happen, right now. That's what is urgent today, to be protecting, archiving and saving..."

"The primary aim is to invite the viewers to perceive the work at different levels and points of entry. Since the works themselves in a way or another address the drifts and connections between science, myth, histories, and present the images that weave through...

One of the most interesting themes that was recurrent in both the blog and the conversations was the one of home, belonging, cultural drift and displacement..."

Vishal Kumaraswamy

"I am using the cinematic elements, which are sound, visual, space, ... to sort of distort the viewer's experience, and the viewer's experience is linear, is coherent, it kind of dictates how you are supposed to behave in the cinematic space...

"The need for an open dialogue between emerging artists has never been greater and the generosity of thought  is something that has definitely made a mark on my practice. Using toxic masculinity as an example, as well as a metaphor, for oppressive behavior and the need to conform, 'Man Up!' references some of the discussions with artists on the Building Bridges blog."

Many thanks to Ashok, Kate, Sarasija and Vishal for the interviews!

We are looking forward to seeing your works again in Yangon!

Note: Interviews by the EAS Team.  Video editing by Ashok Vish.