Conversation with N S Harsha
14 January 2009
At a time when the value of all manner of things seems to be in question I wanted to report on my conversation with N S Harsha, the artist who was awarded the third Artes Mundi Prize in 2008.
In December he was in London to paint a new work for the Serpentine Gallery’s Indian Highway exhibition. We met for lunch and I asked him what he had been doing since winning the Prize and what he felt it had brought him. I was delighted by the extraordinary range of comments he made :
- He has since shown in Madrid, Tokyo, Valencia and now London
- He has been signed up with one of London’s most significant commercial galleries, the Victoria Miro Gallery
- He has enjoyed a whole set of new introductions to his work
- He has been selected to show as part of the Sharjah Biennale which opens in March 2009
- He feels he has gained real strength from the evident belief in his work
- He has been chosen as one of five artists to be featured in Art Asia Pacific’s Almanac
- He has turned down many press interviews as he wishes to remain anonymous in his home city of Mysore but he did take part in a half hour documentary on India TV, his country’s biggest news channel
- He feels the recognition he is now receiving has validated auction activity where his work has been greatly sought after
- He has continued to work on various community projects including working with under privileged children in Belgium and creating an artists’ library in a village in Kerala
If we ever doubt Artes Mundi has a role to play, Harsha’s account of how it has contributed to his life and career, and to the audiences who enjoy his work, should sustain us.
He and I are now discussing how he might return to Cardiff and Wales and work with young people during Artes Mundi 4. He is particularly keen to meet the students he spent time with in 2008. In his own city he spends time with students who attend art school and is committed to ensuring others can benefit. I look forward to sharing with you how he will be contributing to cultural activity in Wales once again.
Tessa Jackson
Artistic Director