Artist Rochana Dubey thinks that the era of the global citizen is fast disappearing into the quicksands of time: “Letters, memories, photographs, conversations and aspirations live on in hearts as they leave homes behind. But achievements, goals and identity now face new questions, challenges. A relentless desire for life – like untethered paper boats adrift in open waters, afloat only on hope, grit and determination. Refugees in their own hearts, waiting to cross over. Where do they belong?”

Rochana Dubey was born and grew up in Kolkata, India.  She studied fashion design at the FIT(NY) affiliated National Institute of Fashion Technology in New Delhi, India. Prior to that she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Jadavpur University. So you could guess that Rochana, who became a finalist at our juried show, “Transformation”, is not only a visual artist. She’s also a poet.

In her mixed media artworks Rochana combines painting and literature. Her canvas is worth viewing and reading.

Enjoy the poem “Imaginary Lines” by Rochana Dubey.

What are those, Ma,
Those lines across the land?
Who made them
And were they drawn by hand?
Can they be erased, then
If I rubbed them with my feet
And will you lose me
If I stepped over, just to breathe?
To explore the world, to see?
But they’re all over, Ma
Over land and water
Mountains and hills
Cutting across deserts,
Dividing seas.
Can nature be divided so?
Those lines even in minds I see
In this land of the brave
And home of the free…
What are they afraid of, me?
Is this what they will leave behind?
Lines, imaginary lines.

What are those for, anyway?
What do they do
Who do they protect
Us or them
Or someone else…
Do they protect,
Preserve
And provide
For the ones that need
What humans need
Food, water, shelter…
Shelter?
Shelter.
From the storms in the skies
And in hearts and evil eyes,
Greed and lust.
But don’t they know?
To dust shall dust
Return.
Burn
Those imaginary lines.

Let’s obfuscate those lines, Ma,
That divide,
So no one could find them.
Or themselves.
What fun it will be!
A confusion of eyes, skin, hair
All kinds, colors,
From god knows where.
What do we have?
Two eyes, one nose
Ten each of fingers and toes
Ears and mouth,
Of varied design
A tongue that sounds,
Just not like mine.
Aren’t they like us
Don’t they breathe, smell,
Love, like us?
Don’t they have veins filled with blood?
You say ‘hate’?
No! Wait!
Slice and see
Them and me…
Red!
With pounding hearts
In the same place as ours.
Filled with love and passion
Can’t we show some compassion?
Does it matter where we’re from,
Where we’ve been…
Only who we become,
Our hopes and dreams.
Every day we breathe in unison
Ashes will be ashes
And to dust shall dust return
Each one
Sparing none.
We become One.
So why do we create, Ma,
Those Imaginary Lines.

Juried exhibition “Transformation” where Rochana Dubey became a finalist is on view through October 26, 2017 at Gallery MC (545 West 52 Street, New York). Curated by RE:ARTISTE. For more info please email info@reartiste.com // Natalie Burlutskaya, Curator, RE:ARTISTE International Art Organization