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SATISH GUJRAL AND SHARON LOWEN ON LIFE AND EXPERIENCES
`So many parallels in our life...'
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You are a dance. How come i always see you with artists? - Satish Gujral
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I've had better relations with visual artists rather than with Dancers! - Sharon lowen
They share an interest in art. While he creates sculptures, paintings and murals, she has more than a passing interest in the visual arts - having seriously pursued this form before settling for her first love - dancing. Sharon Lowen, Fulbright scholar and Odissi dancer, and Satish Gujral, one of the most creative artists in the country, whose passion extends to architecture as well, in a free-wheeling conversation at the latter's South Delhi residence. Alka Raghuvanshi tunes in...
The Take Two is fascinating what with several ways of communication being employed - words, signs and gestures. Satish's wife Kiron also participates and conveys some of the words to him through a totally personalised language, perfected over decades of togetherness.
Satish and Sharon relate their experiences in foreign lands, the initial hiccups, the final triumph. What stands out through the conversation is their enthusiastic spirit — when they agree or disagree over various issues. It's almost a mutual admiration club at work here.
Sharon: It is interesting how there are so many parallels in both our lives, especially when it comes to our experiences in alien lands. You went to Mexico without knowing either English or Spanish, without money and without being able to speak!
And I came to India on a scholarship which was a pittance, at a young age, just to pursue dance. I did not know the language, where I was going to stay or how safe it was... To top it all, both of us didn't look alien in the countries we chose to visit!
Satish: But that turned out to be an advantage! We merged with the people seamlessly!
Sharon: What was your motivation?
Satish: I was always drawn to murals. Easel painting was for drawing rooms. Whether one painted the bourgeoisie or the common man, it was going to land up in someone's drawing room! I wanted to share my art with everyone! And when I heard that Mexico was the place to learn mural art, I knew that was where I had to go! Except I didn't even know where Mexico was on the map! There was no embassy in our country! I was perhaps the first Indian to go there. My mother said it was where the Pandavas had gone when they had to go to Paatal lok! My brother (I .K. Gujral) saw an advertisement offering scholarships to study there and insisted that I apply. He said, `What do you have to lose'? And Octavio Paz, the poet and then the Mexican envoy to India, said, `All that could be negative is already there, anything else can only be positive'!
Sharon: There's the poet for you! When I landed in India, it was a horrible experience. I lived as a paying guest with a family who went away to Shimla for a month, leaving me at the mercy of a servant, who didn't understand the language and could barely cook. I didn't know if it was safe to go out to eat, what to buy, etc.! Mind you, it was nearly three decades ago!
Satish: When I landed there was high drama, the going was tough. On the day I arrived, there was a change of government and all the civil servants and political honchos changed! And language was a huge problem.
I met an American architect who offered to teach me English if I taught him Hindi. While I picked up English, he didn't go too far with Hindi!
Satish: You are a dancer, how come I see you always with artists?
Sharon: Ever since I came to India, I've had better relations with visual artists rather than with dancers! Artists are more willing to share their knowledge.
Adjustment
Satish: I've always wondered how you adjusted? A white woman, beautiful, alone...
Sharon: Safety lies in numbers. And I made sure that I didn't meet people in private. I was the socialising kind and hung out a lot with Shankho Choudhry, Biren De, G. R. Santosh, Shanti Dave, Himmat Shah - who were like protective uncles. I went out with so many different people to art shows, dance and music concerts that some might have thought I was having an affair with several people!
I knew if I had an Indian boyfriend, and if that relationship were to not work out for some reason, all my connections would collapse. Besides, I didn't think I was beautiful!
Satish: Were you modest or naοve! How did you make sure these artists didn't misunderstand?
Sharon: They came. They tried. But when they realised that it was not going to go any further, they went away. However, there were others who found me interesting and stayed on!
PHOTO: S. SUBRAMANIUM
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