Artist Of The Week | Karan Khosla

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’re tickled pink to profile someone who brought plenty of laughs along with him when he worked at Homegrown last year—a photographer with an enormous amount of potential, Karan Khosla.

“Nothing excites me more than an empty road with open-ended travel plans.”

Photographer and filmmaker, Karan Khosla, was playing with his first handycam back when everyone else was playing with their pipadus. With a short film recently submitted to Sundance, Khosla is currently freelancing, which seems to suit the talented 25-year-old whose groggy mornings are kickstarted with, “black, fresh pressed coffee with a cigarette to get things going.”

The rest of his day is spent figuring out future shots or actually shooting. The days he’s not shooting, Karan is most likely brainstorming over a drive, watching football or enjoying good food with even better people. A harsh critic of his own work Karan strives to reach the full potential of the talent he knows he possesses.

“Nothing I have shot so far I think is close to my best, though my series on Swarg Dwaar in Puri, Orissa was particularly challenging,” he admits.

However, it is clear his vision is on point. If you want to check out some of his recent work follow Khosla’s Instagram, @thekhos. “ I’m currently shooting two series’ from my phone - One on interesting light or illuminance and one on interesting portraits in hard light called Charcoal Shards.”

How would you describe your perfect day?

There are so many renditions to this, honestly, but most of those would involve waking up late, watching whatever football is on TV and later good food with better people, as well as, stimulating conversations. I wake up really groggy on most days, so I definitely need my black, fresh pressed coffee with a cigarette to get things going. Now a days, I spend most of my days figuring out future shoots or actually shooting. When I’m not shooting, I usually watch something or go for a drive.

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

I remember filming our family vacation to Thailand from start to finish. I spent more time with the handycam than my family.

What according to you is your best creation?

Nothing I have shot so far I think is close to my best. My series on Swarg Dwaar in Puri, Orissa was particularly challenging though. It wasn’t easy to be around all that sorrow, death and burning carcass for hours at a time. I managed to find some sort of peace amidst all of that though.

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

Food, football, music and understanding social dynamics. I haven’t mentioned watching shows and movies because I consider that a learning process as I often study what I watch.

What is that one thing that really annoys you?

Mostly flaky people or anyone who tries to wake me up in the mornings.

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

Work on my own feature film, visit Africa, shoot a life changing shot, cover a war, have a threesome, own my own cafe, act in some movie and win my fantasy football league.

To follow Karan’s latest work check out his Instagram