A Conversation with Vanita gupta

Premjish Achari

I think I told myself that I am going to do just this, without even knowing the possibilities of it. Can’t remember any influence then, only the fact that I liked doing it and nothing else mattered. So it was quite bizarre then to take up education in art, even my peers found it strange.

Premjish Achari: Could you talk about your art education and formative days? What influences were behind your entry into the art world?

Vanita Gupta: Born in to a conservative business family, I went through the same education system, without any special exposure to art. I never knew that something like this existed; where one could just keep on doing that one loves to do; a passion that I could endlessly pursue. The only strong memory I have is that I had drawn on freshly painted walls of my home and was being scolded for it. I think I told myself that I am going to do just this, without even knowing the possibilities of it. Can’t remember any influence then, only the fact that I liked doing it and nothing else mattered. So it was quite bizarre then to take up education in art, even my peers found it strange. After much tussle with my father I finally joined L S Raheja School of Art, Mumbai.

PA: I would like to know about your experiences as a female artist and the challenges it posed.

VG: Ours is a patriarchal society. The percentage of women painters here, or globally, who have made it to the top has been negligible. This has something to do with the psyche of society.