As we all can are going through the lockdown phase due to COVID-19 this 2020 year has been a rollercoaster ride for everyone and everyone has their own lockdown story to share. Here I am going to express the journey of a fellow artist Ritesh Bhoi during lockdown and about his series of artworks done recently.
Looking back at few months, the journey through this ongoing lockdown period has been a way for everyone to rest at home and take a break for a while and also simultaneously keep working.
This huge break from our regular routine gave everyone a chance to do new things and keep their mind busy. Everyone found some or the other new thing which is intriguing to them. This new way of living is something everyone in common trying to adjust with. Every day the question “What to do next?” arises.
Talking about adapting towards this change, Ritesh here also went through the same like all of us. When government announced the lockdown Ritesh was in Mumbai. Considering the situation he decide to pack all the materials available and shift to his native place; Sangli. After reaching the destination as normal precautionary step Ritesh was under self-quarantine for two weeks. To be productive in such a situation he continued with his ongoing artwork and began his thought process for new ideas.
As soon as the self-quarantine period ended for Ritesh Bhoi next situation he faced was a complete lockdown of his residential area. One of the problems he faced was that he was running out of materials to work with and due to the lockdown it was not possible to buy new apparatus to work with.
One of the things to do during these times is to communicate with everyone around us to give and receive moral support through these tough times. Sitting on the porch of his house during his free time and talking to neighbors and people around is what Ritesh did. Communication just proves that by keeping distance people can still come together and support each other. This led to observing how people differ in their opinions, approach and all have a different story.
As the lockdown situation was not getting any better there was still the obstacle in buying new materials but that did not stop Ritesh from working. A pen and a diary was a enough to keep the thought process in shape, started to paint a picture about the observations he made about people around and putting it on paper. As everyone has their own worries, some small or big, everyone has a common thought thinking about the future and what is awaiting.
Communicating with people not only showcased their physical effort to fight against the situation faced due to this virus but also the mental state of their mind. People everywhere have been going through a struggle on their own approach. We all know wearing a mask hides our half face and is a precautionary step taken by everyone, Ritesh expresses through his works that everyone’s eyes actually spoke louder than words.
Ritesh Bhoi had a journey through this situation and still is ongoing just like everyone else, as he made best of his time in this I hope all us do too.
Text by Tathi Premchand
Nippon Gallery
लेखन - तथी प्रेमचंद ,
निप्पॉन गैलरी
कलाकार आणि कला प्रबंधक
