Parul Bouvart
"Parul Bouvart (b. 1989, New Delhi) MFA from Pratt Institute, New York and BVA from the Faculty of Fine Arts, MS University, Vadodara, India. She was awarded as a first teaching fellow by Franklin Furnace Organisation, New York and academic excellence scholarship holder by Pratt Institute, New York.
She has been featured in Hyperallergic Magazine, New York (2014); Arts and Education Magazine, New York (2014); Studio Visit Magazine, Boston (2015); Interview with Art Reveal Magazine (2018), Ubiquitous Art Magazine, New York (2023) and Interview with Suboart Magazine, Portugal (2023).
She had shown recently at International Women’s Day, NGMA (National Gallery Of Modern Art) 2023; Performed at the International Performance Art Festival, Indonesia 2023; International Expo Gangneung Art Center, Republic of Korea (2023; 2021); 31st Festival Les Instants video, France (2018); Contemporary Art Observatorium, Lavagna, Italy (2018); Fringe Arts Bath Visual Arts Festival, UK (2018); Elizabeth Foundation of Arts. New York (2017); Boiler Room: Pierogi Gallery, Brooklyn (2015); International art festival in Buenos Aires, Argentina (2014).
In her artistic exploration, she delves into the intricate fabric of human relationships and rituals that shape our identities. Through diverse projects, she navigates themes of identity, memory, and the passage of time. By juxtaposing memories she challenges societal expectations, life's endless possibilities and judgement. She explores mortality and social issues of race and gender through her performances and material puncturing. Using personal experiences and universal themes, her works aim to provoke thought and contemplation, facilitating a connection to human experience as well as providing a platform to confront the complexities of personal politics.
She currently practices and lives in France. "
Website:
Instagram: parulbouvart_studio
The Mirror Book, 78cm X 60cm, installation, 2024
" "The Mirror Book" is an exploration of the intricate interplay between memory, reflection, and the complexities of human experience. Through the fusion of mirrors within a traditional photo album adorned with thousands of pins, this artwork serves as a visual metaphor for the multifaceted nature of our recollections. Each mirror reflects not only the
images captured in the album but also the viewer's own memories, inviting introspection and contemplation. Yet, the presence of the pins introduces an element of resistance, symbolizing the inherent tension between the allure of revisiting memories and the often-uncomfortable truths they
may unveil. Just as memories can be both enticing and repellent, the artwork simultaneously draws in viewers with its captivating reflection while hinting at the potential discomfort that lies beneath the surface.
The hollowness of the mirrors further underscores the ephemeral and elusive nature of memory, reminding us that our recollections are inherently subjective and prone to distortion. Through "The Mirror Book," I aim to evoke a sense of fascination and disquiet, inviting viewers to confront the complexities of their own inner landscapes and the
fragmented nature of the past. "
The Blind Love Story, 70cm X 60cm, installation, 2015
" A fragile tome bound delicately by a white ribbon lies half-open on a Rehal/foldable lectern, a stand that traditionally hosts religious scriptures. The tome resembles a holy book from a distance, but a closer look reveals something different as the yellowing pages fall open to reveal a curious lattice of pins piercing through every page. What the viewer cannot tell at
first glance is that the pins spell out in Braille a story of love and loss, unveiling a hidden narrative that can only be read by the pinpricks. One can choose to ignore the exposed pins and touch only the black tops, but the true story will remain untold without the little jabs of pain that love oh so often bestows on you.(less romantic perhaps)
This installation piece is the scripture of love, promising pain with every turn of the page. As one flips through the pages of the book, the delicate binding comes apart; the pages of the book falling apart like the narrative itself. Promises will fall apart just like the pins as the reader turns the page. This is an artwork that is meant to be undone– by the end of the day,
the entire installation will fall apart as the readers pore through it. No story can be told without reliving what has hurt you, as re-telling itself is a painful process. The unravelling of the artwork represents the moment when love causes all of us to fall apart."
The High Chair, installation, 2020
" A baby-blue chair creaks under the burden of a massive pile of blank sheets. This chair is meant to hold the precious little child so dear to us, but the installation stands as an imposing reminder of the excruciating expectations the young will soon be burdened by. The chair signifying the lost innocence of youth, is bent inwards from the weight of the papers - the expectations the parents possess. A child is expected to bend over backwards and give way to these unrealistic expectations, but that in the end, ultimately breaks the child and destroys the innocent childhood they are supposed to enjoy. The artist wishes to highlight the extreme pressure of expectations placed on a child in South Asian societies, where the child is viewed as a blank slate, waiting to be filled with records of countless qualifications. "