If you've ever thought, “Flowers are pretty but they die,” while buying a bouquet for someone, worried about the undertones of impermanence that surrounds the elegant gift, you're not alone. For Brooklyn-based artist and architect Sourabh Gupta, however, this isn’t an issue since his lifelike botanicals crafted from paper don’t wilt with time. From elaborate Met Gala outfits to large sculptures, Sourabh’s paper flowers have graced some of the most exquisite art projects.
Sourabh had just dropped out of Parsons School of Design in NYC and without any money or a studio, he started creating these botanicals at a friend’s apartment purely out of an ever-present drive to create, experiment & learn. The artist channeled his experiences as a child for inspiration. In the small town of Hiranagar in Jammu & Kashmir, Sourabh didn’t exactly have access to conversations around art, but he did have an immense curiosity that drew him to works of art found in nature. He elaborates, “...a little sapling from suddenly morphing into two leaves, two leaves became three, then 2 branches to three and then a whole plant or a tree. On top of that there were flowers almost as jewels that would show up under the night’s cover and It happened just on its own where I did not see anybody tending to it or so. All this was magic for a child like me in that small world that I was growing up where life was slow and quiet. I was fascinated every time I saw a flower blooming, a new leaf unfolded. There was color, there was texture, there was dance and there was a will to survive - the confidence that would crack open a seed and the other times through a crack in the brick wall or the sidewalk - there was just so much for me to observe and learn. At any given time I see that there were just a number of parallels to my own life, not equipped with many means but a strong unstable hunger and desire - I was trying to create my best from what I had or I found. Nature became a lab and I became a student. I observed and absorbed it."
The artist still continues to maintain his sense of wonder that started his creative pursuit. “While my training in architecture and interior design informs my work, particularly in material exploration and prototyping, I strive to transcend these frameworks. My goal gets simpler by the day: to connect with the observer and evoke or feel an emotion”, he recounts. The more Sourabh practices, the more he finds himself letting go of any specific ideas, constructs or schools of thoughts or boundaries. After an inspiration strikes, the artist’s process becomes a meditation, where he tries to quiet himself and let the idea flow through him without obstruction. “Sometimes I know what I am doing and many other times I just have to trust the process," he notes.
“Interestingly, I've begun to recognize my training as a child in the art of ‘Pahari paintings’ like basohli paintings or the other Indian miniature paintings. As I would conceptualize a piece, I would place an architectural element and would conjure up elaborate schemes of gardens often filled with wonderment where the flowers moved like breeze and fantasy. And as I grew up and had more chances to see these paintings from the master artists, I remember how often the subjects in these paintings were engulfed with brilliant gardens that were full of life and magic. The branches moved like poetry and the eye could just run into endless alleys of magic and wonderment. I still remember that.”Sourabh Gupta
In the beginning, paper was the only material the artist had access to. This, however, wasn’t an impediment in his craft in any way. Growing up, he learned the invaluable lesson that necessity truly is the mother of invention. Imagining the world as his lab, he learnt how to reuse, repurpose, and recycle due to scarcity; a principle that still applies to his work, even in abundance.Sourabh had a chance to see the masters at work just on a daily walk through the town - “the cobbler under the banyan tree, the tailor around the corner, the blacksmith forging tools. These everyday artisans instilled in me a deep respect for materials and human ingenuity. All this made me very curious — their resourcefulness taught me to see the inherent value in all things, a perspective that still guides my work today”, he explains.
Today, in his 5,000 square feet studio that was a former factory space in Industry city, Brooklyn, these early lessons manifest in a constant exploration of possibilities. The artist’s practice has expanded to a wide range of materials and techniques like ceramics, porcelain, wood, copper, brass where he experiments with carpentry, metal work, welding, flowers, painting and interior design. He’s designing the studio himself with self-made light fixtures & furniture created from found materials. Every discarded object runs through a gauntlet of potential reincarnations, often to his own detriment.
“I'm learning to balance this impulse while still finding joy in the treasures I discover on New York City's streets, each one a seed of endless creative potential," he mentions. The studio is where the artist hopes to bring friends and clients to get a glimpse into my world and see the process at work as well as the finished work.
Looking into the future, Sourabh sees himself pushing his boundaries of botanical art, perhaps incorporating more elements of technology and exploring larger-scale installations. He shares, “I would like to work and collaborate with artisans and women in India as I feel there is an incredible amount of innate skill and art there. I feel as if I have just opened the door to this big amazing wonderland and the possibilities are just endless.”
Follow Sourabh here.
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