In Conversation with Svabhu Kohli

September’s ReWild Yourself Champion is the wonderful artist and visual storyteller Svabhu Kohli, from Goa, India.

Svabhu creates art from a range of media – film, paint, photography, sculpture, collage – often in the same project.  Everything they create though, has a certain magic to it – rich, detailed, dreamy and alive.  Svabhu’s deep care for, and understanding of the natural world, as well as an almost spiritual connection to the more-than human world, shines through all their work, helping others also feel and share this connection. They are truly a ReWild Yourslef Champion, and it was a great pleasure to sit down with them and hear more about their work, inspiration, motivation and personal relationship with Nature.

There is plenty to digest, so you can either check out the clips below, or watch the entire interview on Svabhu’s  ReWild Yourself Champion Profile where there is also other related content you might enjoy. 

Svabhu’s Connection with Nature

Svabhu shares with us several special memories in Nature, including their childhood exploring the mountain scrub forests outside new Delhi, now sadly long gone. They also muse on the importance of the ocean and its nurturing, nourishing effect as well as a moment of epiphany in the Atacama Desert, living with indigenous herders of the region.

Inspiration and making art

It is always fascinating to discover what inspires an artist and influences their work. Unsurprisingly, Svabhu’s inspiration is rich and varied, drawing from the many sites, sounds, stories, folklore, art Nature  and people of India. Svabhu explains how and why they plays with different media, as well as the appeal of magic realism.  They also discuss the central role of storytelling in their work, including how cities and landscapes are changing, and how even in the most urban spaces there remain “pockets of magic”.

Hopes, fears and the power of art

Svabhu opens up about their biggest fears for the Natural world, but also outlines what also gives them hope, including how art can help restore the mass disconnection between humans and Nature and why community has to be at the heart of our recovery.  Svabhu also provides some fascinating thoughts on how art and science can work together, enhancing the value of both and helping the vital insights from research really resonate with people.