Artist Of The Week | Sachin Pillai

Lists, lists, lists. The list of lists is endless. And as much as we love to pay allegiance to the format that won the attention of a digital generation even as it became a millennial punchline, its well-meaning shackles felt too tight for a truly free-wheeling look at ‘artists’ in the contemporary Indian context. So without straying too far from the intent to observe, display and share however, we decided to carve out our own little space on the internet—an online gallery if you will—to showcase the never-ending plethora of Indian artists who continue to spark fires with their work.

Pixels will be dedicated each week to individuals who are finding their own distinct voices, sometimes personal, sometimes political but always worthy of engaging with. Mediums have no place here either. Our ‘Artists Of The Week’ range from a luthier from one of Mumbai’s oldest neighbourhoods to live visual artists who combine everything from stage design to animation and 3D mapping installations to deliver staggering live experiences.

…And everybody in between of course.

Today, we had the pleasure to profile one of our long-standing collaborators, not to mention a truly versatile filmmaker, Sachin Pillai.

“I would like people to remember me as meaningful.”

Working in varying capacities across different organisations and facets of the film industry for almost ten years now, Sachin Pillai picked up on myriad filmmaking skills here and there. Moving from television to documentary, advertising and on to experimental cinema, the 32-year-old filmmaker’s work can best be described as an amalgamated form of all four and a particular style of visual installation.

“Currently, I exist as an independent filmmaker, where I am able to put together a film on my own, fulfilling multiple roles in the process when necessary,” he comments.

Scroll on to get to know this visionary director, cinematographer, and so much more, a little better.

I. What would you describe as your perfect day?

“On a perfect day, the sun would rise over a horizon only gently interrupted by floating clouds that would open up and close letting through beams of warm sun in patches. I would be at a cliff of sorts overlooking a massive emerald ocean. The morning would be spent cycling to and swimming in a shallow clear water ravine, not too far away.

The afternoon would be about 28 degrees celcius and sunny, I’d probably have a siesta. Coffee. Towards the evening, the sun set would appear with light wisps of clouds that are lit in orange hues on the bottom side and white and fluffy on top, touching down at the horizon. I’d ideally go to bed early so I can catch sunrise again.”

II. What is your first memory of exploring your medium of choice?

“Volunteering at the inaugural Ranga Shankara festival when i was doing my bachelors degree in Bangalore with some of the greatest theatre acts in the country. I’d gotten into it to have something to do and immediately found myself fascinated with performance, theatre, lighting and composition. I feel like this has gone a long way in shaping my understanding of the cinematic medium.”

III. What according to you is your best creation?

“What excites me most among my work is not my films but the visual installation that I do. This is mainly due to the mathematical and metaphysical implications of the installation. It is a video feedback loop that is used to create fractal interactive video projections. The shapes that appear in this digital feedback loop follow an infinite algorithm and the play of light manipulates itself in an organic nature.

This practice has been an obsession of mine ever since I was introduced to it by VJ Viktor Furiani a few years ago and as of recently I had the chance to develop the project supported by the Vaayu Vision Collective in Goa. Considering the nature of the installation, the spectrum of possibilities is literally infinite. The images that are included are examples of pure light derived results as well as graphic explorations with footage.”

IV. What are the three things you are really into, besides your art?

“Other people’s art. Off road culture. Experimental Drone music.”

V. What is that one thing, that really annoys you?

“Inconsideration.”

VI. Something that you have always wanted to do, and really look forward to doing it some day in your career?

“Shoot a film in outer space.”

You can follow Sachin and his work on Vimeo, Facebook and Instagram.