Babbu the Painter’s art is bursting at the seams with themes of diaspora, femininity, immigrant woes and coming-of-age. Now the 23 year-old force-to-be-reckoned-with is releasing a dynamic series after an eye-opening journey through India.
Upon perusing Babbu’s (real name Babneet Lakhesar) Instagram, look out for her signature use of explosion, lightning and fire emojis interspersed in all-caps captions, which reflects a vibrant disposition and delight towards her artistry. With the vivid colours, punk vibes and impactful undertones, her works are the kind that leave you smiling and empowered.
Babbu’s ‘Sisterhood of the Travelling Saris,’ which has been booming on the socials, shows three ladies in
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On whether Babbu gets called out for appropriating cultural entities, she says, “I do, all the time. I think with the Internet, you can’t make everyone happy. The aim of my work is not to divide, but to fuse as much as I can, and I know I have to do a better job by including the South. I try to speak more to any immigrant household rather than just pinpointing it to being Indian or Punjabi. I’m trying really hard to break down the barrier between ‘us Indians’ and South Asians. I think after the debate of cultural appropriation began, there was an emphasis on the divide between North and South.”
Landmark Collections
Babbu’s opened a cultural door with her series ‘BAKWAAS,’ which has evolved into a line of clothing, hand-painted denim jackets, handbags, tiffin boxes, kettles and other accent pieces, “I come from a very Punjabi household, where my mother often says ‘what is this bakwaas you’re doing?’ So I was pretty sure I wasn’t the only one with this being said to me. My mindset was ‘if what I’m doing is bakwaas then I need to tell other people what they’re doing is bakwaas.’ So what started as an inside joke became a secret language. There are a lot of people who don’t know what it means but once they do, it’s a wrap! The jacket started off with the notion of making my art to be as accessible as possible. I haven’t seen a lot of Indians who are willing to spend about $500 or $1000 on a painting, myself included if I weren’t an artist. I’d have rather invested in a jacket from Gucci. We weren’t taught to invest in Art. And being into fashion, the jacket was a blend of two realms I love.” The visually vibrant collection also denotes Babbu’s no nonsense approach to life.
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Revisited Territory
Being born in Bathinda, Punjab, and growing up in Canada, gave Babbu a sense of the globalisation between the two hemispheres and this view is brought to life in her art, as well as her travels. Having just explored various corners of India, her encounters with certain cultural conventions have inspired her 2017 series ‘Babbu x India.’ India spoke to Babbu in many voices through loud and colourful diversity, and it shows in this amalgamation of digital painting and mixed media. This will be Babbu’s most profound feast for the eyes yet, having come freshly from real-life experiences and created with experimental art tech. “I’ve been so inspired by India and it was a little strange to have not been there in ten years and see what’s going on right now. So I found a three month interval because my mom was going to India for a family wedding and bribed me with a free ticket to tag along, so it came down to perfect timing and the right signs. I believe in the universe and good energies, as well as the consequences of what you put out in the world.”
Travelling through India gave Babbu a renewed sense of independence and carpe diem; “I wasn’t told any rules regarding being in Delhi or Mumbai, and I loved that. I had to make my own way. India also gave me the perspective that I don’t need to sweat about the small stuff. And when you’re used to something, it’s hard to let go of it, and that taught me to live in the moment; I saw so many emotions in a single place. For example, I was doing a photoshoot in Chandni Chowk and people had told me that I couldn’t go alone. So there were four of us and within ten minutes, there was a massive crowd around us, because people thought I was a model; the atmosphere changed so fast. I was so overwhelmed I needed to absorb what was happening around me, rather than worrying about what could happen.”
The intensity of Varanasi, the craze of Grand Trunk Road and the timeless wonder of Bollywood have always resonated with Babbu but now she is able to articulate her impressions through Babbu x India. “I had the idea in my head of wanting to use heads as well as what I actually witnessed in India rather than what I Googled. So each head was dedicated to a response I couldn’t explain.” Babbu’s piece on Varanasi was inspired by photographer Steve McCurry who famously captured a portrait of the tribal elder.
More pieces will be unveiled in the near future, according to Babbu who plans on kicking back for a while, “I’m continuously trying to open up my mind in new ways, and being in India really facilitated that. I don’t really think about how the market is going to take my work; it’s about what I want to speak about, so I do it and put it out there.”
Babbu’s explorations strongly resonate with anyone experiencing the East-West cultural verge, which is pretty much a huge part of the South Asian community, locally and globally. Babbu encourages a visit to her website and her Instagram if you would like to enrichen your surroundings.
Other artists known for their takes on South Asian diaspora include Jasmine Lakhesar, Maria Qamar, Nimisha Bhanot, Kamaapp and The Pakistani Martha Stewart