Founder & Director, Gourmoni Das,

Gourmoni Das grew up in the rich cultural heritage of Tripura. After soaking in all the beauty and diversity of the Northeast, he embarked on a journey to Mumbai and joined Sir JJ School of Art in 2012. His four intense years there extended much beyond the classroom, and today he is managing, curating and reviving art in multifarious ways. Gourmoni staunchly believes that art should serve both purposes of aesthetics and politics. But most importantly he wishes to tone down the complexity of the art world — make it less intimidating and more approachable. Curating and managing Nine Fish Art Gallery since 2018 is a step in that direction. Gourmoniseeks to identify the missing links between artists and their audiences and change the ways art is consumed. A peek into his own paintings throws light on his politically and socially charged mind. The seeds of which had been sown in him in his early days. He is a thinker and a doer. Nurturing local artists from around the country and sustaining old crafts, are his ultimate goals. Passionate and self-motivated, Gourmoni understands that stretching limits and gathering new perspectives is the way ahead. An affable persona and the aptitude to understand different psyches come very naturally to him. Fostering a new wave of talent as well as working with revered artists, he wants to make this an aesthetic/market space known for its synergistic philosophies.

Curatorial Negotiations by kaur Chimuk

Kaur Chimuk is an independent curatorial decolonial methodologist dedicated to exploring non-binary viewership as an extended form of artistic dialect within the realm of collective research. Currently, Kaur operates in South-East Asia, navigating between India and Bangladesh. Simultaneously, they have a working base in Sweden with Meteor International, where Kaur serves as one of their official curatorial board members. They have initiated a collaborative curatorial research platform in India known as TAC (Tracing A City), providing an avenue to explore much of their collective research and initiatives. As a creative consultant, Kaur has played a crucial role in organizing off-center cultural exchanges and international curatorial program designs. Collaborations include platforms such as Inventory Platform (UK), Bom Artist Residency (Sweden), and Zmayat (Bangladesh-India). In a recent development, their collaborative curatorial research project was featured in the World Premiere section of IDFA New Media – DocLab Forum 2022 in the Netherlands as well as at Sheffield Docfest-UK in 2023. Furthermore, they got admission to an extended research master’s program at Transart Institute under LJMU.

Curatorial Associates by Manjit Gogoi, Sitikanta Samantasinghar, Kumkum Jain

Manjit Gogoi is an artist who was raised in the lush Assamese countryside, close to Kaziranga National Park. His artistic path is deeply influenced by the social and environmental values of his background. Going into issues like habitat loss, species extinction, climate change, contamination, and resource exploitation, Gogoi’s artistic perspective is a painful investigation of humanity’s impact on nature, shaped by his upbringing in an environmentally conscious family. Initially drawing inspiration from his surroundings, Gogoi incorporated local materials like bamboo, cane, and clay from Assam into his creations, seamlessly blending his art with traditional crafts. However, his artistic evolution took an intriguing turn when he relocated to Mumbai for his studies. Embracing the urban milieu, Gogoi began utilising unconventional materials such as construction debris, plastic, and e-waste, transforming them into thought-provoking pieces of art. This shift not only showcased his adaptability but also served as a powerful commentary on the pressing issue of waste and consumption in urban environments. Gogoi’s art is a compelling mix of media, often featuring construction waste bricks, cement, sand, and wood dust meticulously arranged on a foundation of plastic waste. This innovative approach to mixed-media not only reflects his commitment to ecological values but also serves as a metaphor for the delicate balance between nature and human intervention.

Sitikanta Samantasinghar, born into a rural farming community in Chilika village, Odisha, has consistently drawn artistic inspiration from the social and ecological realities surrounding his life since his college years. His early works tackled issues of social disparity, power structures within the farming sector, and the environmental conflicts and changes impacting the rural landscape. A pivotal influence was the “Bhaga Chashi Andolan,” a 1953 peasant movement in rural Odisha led by Sitikanta’s grandfather, Dr. Nrusingha Samantasinghar. This movement was sparked by the tragic killing of a poor farmer named Sania, who, along with other farmers, had been systematically deprived of fair wages and profits from agricultural production by landowners. Driven by a philosophy of compassion and understanding, Sitikanta strives to create a visual dialogue that grapples with the politics of sustainability. His current works explore the interconnected issues of ecology and migration. Living in close proximity to the vast Chilika Lake, he recognizes migration as a gamble, not just for humans but also for the birds and fish who face a multitude of dangers – harsh weather, hungry predators, exhaustion, and starvation – on their epic journeys.

Kumkum Jain, an emerging artist, writer, and creative thinker based in Hyderabad, brings a unique perspective to her work. Holding a postgraduate degree in Fine Arts from Rachana Sansad Academy of Fine Arts and Crafts in Mumbai, she delves deep into the subtle nuances of everyday life. Her exploration of beauty and sensitivity extends to capturing fleeting moments and experiences, uncovering their truths, and presenting them in her art. Currently, Kumkum contributes to curatorial projects at the Dot Line Space Art Foundation, notably leading initiatives like “Bal Kala Shibir.” With a passion for learning and a dedication to her craft, she eagerly seeks out new opportunities and approaches to enrich her artistic journey.

Visual Archive by Harsh Singh Narvariya

Harsh Singh Narvariya is a student at Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art and a skilled graphic designer specializing in motion graphics, information design, creative visualization, and video editing. He is an in-house member of Dot Line Space Art Foundation, contributing as a visual archivist. In the past, he has developed logos, posters, and motion graphics for notable clients such as Seoulmate, Airbots Aerospace, and X-energy.