Artist Update: Soumya Sankar Bose
Soumya Sankar Bose (b. 1990) is a documentary photographer. In his practice he uses photography, archival material and text to explore desire, identity and memory.
Soumya is the 2022 recipient of the Delfina Foundation Residency. In the blog post below he shares his experiences at the Foundation and the need for artistic community.
My Delfina Foundation Residency started in June with a family lunch. I could not have asked for a better beginning as it introduced me to my fellow residents and the world of art practitioners in London.
Book Launch at Photobook Cafe
The fortnightly family lunches were an enriching place for exchange and critical discussions. I had the opportunity to meet curators, artists, collectors and librarians with whom I would chat about upcoming projects, the scene of contemporary experimental art-forms, our experiences, new discoveries and of course positive critiques. Discussions also centred around weekly film screenings and Delfina’s incredible library. Every week, we organised film screenings where each member showed about two films made by their favourite filmmakers. This included films from countries like the Czech Republic, Turkey and India. Every group discussion included books from Delfina’s library earmarked with information about new techniques of filmmaking. These multiple perspectives greatly informed my research and practice.
My fellow residents helping me install for my film screening
Interestingly, presentations too were always prepared together. The constant cooperation and valuable suggestions I got from my fellow curators while preparing slides are immensely enriching. This helped me to understand the various perspectives at play in terms of curating a slide. It was very important for me to consider the various dimensions that a work of art can lead to if approached by different individuals.
Simultaneously, I was constantly attending exhibitions which focused on 360 videos and photography, a primary focus of my practice for the last 10 years. I also was privileged to showcase my work at Delfina. A photobook of mine was a part of a book launch we organised and I screened a new film that is yet to be released. It was an enriching and extraordinary experience for me to watch people engage with my work.
Scans of newspaper clippings from the British Library
With all the interaction, Room no. 1 at Delfina was not only my studio but also a space of refuge. It was where I was able to collect my thoughts after group discussions or my time at the British Library. The library is where I primarily spent my first two months poring over the newspaper archives of the 1960s and 70s. My research focused on the representation and the portrayal of post-partition violence of South East Asian countries in British or European newspapers.
I am very grateful for my time at the Delfina Foundation. My biggest takeaway was the feeling of family and community. I learnt how important and necessary it is to nurture an art practice.
Top Image: The family lunch at Delfina Foundation with fellow residents and guests
