‘I used to be more political, fearless; have become subtle over the years’: Daku
Nearly 8-9 years ago, street signs and walls in some parts of Delhi got a makeover overnight. Words like ‘gossiping’, ‘promising’ and even ‘posing’ appeared on STOP signages, giving the word a different meaning altogether, while ‘Daku’ was spotted painted in different calligraphy types on the walls. Such works gradually started appearing on various surfaces across the country, including at garbage disposal sites.
The man behind it all was Daku, a name that has now, over the years, become synonymous with the street art movement in India.
🗞️Subscribe Now: Get Express Premium to access the best Election reporting and analysis 🗞️
After leaving his mark on the walls, the art — who loves to “play with people’s minds” is now experimenting with time and shadows, something he admits to be “fascinated” with. And that is what one of his his latest works for a collaborative project is also all about. In an exclusive email interaction with , the anonymous art talks about his moniker, being ‘Daku’ all these years, his experiments with shadows, and the street art revolution in India.
Streets and walls have been your primary canvas, though you have also experimented with water and shadow. How would you sum up your journey of being a street art in India?
When I started painting in India, back then, there was no, or nothing called street art/art. It was just random graffiti on the walls. But even then, for me, the graffiti was all about playing with people’s minds because it was something new and made them curious. And as I continued to work, my objective has always been to play with people’s mind and perceptions, and I will continue to do that. Lately, however, I have shifted my focus more on the medium of time and shadows, but I still continue to work with different mediums and formats and would like to keep exploring more.
You have always tried to have a dialogue with people through your works; how successful would you say your attempts have been in all these years?
As I said, I do like to play with people and their reaction and perceptions of my work. When I started out, I used to be more political, was more fearless. Over the year, I have somewhat become a bit subtle, but still, in whatever way I can, I do like to play with people’s mind. However, I don’t know how successful I have been in this dialogue with the public, that’s for them to decide; but for me, I make work so that people can react to it.
Over the years, you have garnered a massive following. Why do you still wish to work anonymously?
When I started, I was probably the only street/graffiti art and that, in some ways, made it easier for me to have a following. I have been anonymous, but I am no secret. I can say ‘Daku’ is pretty much an open secret, and if you really wish to know who Daku is, you can easily do so. I can come out introduce myself, but have not had an opportune occasion to do so, but I am also fine continuing working in the same way — for me, it is the work that matters, not the name.
Daku’s artwork that combines different scripts — each being a representation of a culture(Photo: Pranav Gohil)
But why did you decide the moniker ‘Daku’?
When I started painting ‘Daku’ across the walls in Delhi, it also created a some sort of a mystery because all one did was read/hear about ‘Daku’ without ever getting to meet the real person. Also, the word has a very Indian ring to it, and I personally feel that it fits the ethos of graffiti well. That is because graffiti it is considered a form of vandalism, and also illegal, and ‘Daku’ just fit in all the philosophies around the person involved. So, I decided to continue working as Daku.
Who/from where do you seek inspiration from for your works?
I seek inspiration from the streets. I keep observing the landscape wherever I am, especially the urban landscape. I look at posters, signages and every shop sign… everything which is out there on the street. I observe them all and then I give it back to the street itself. Apart from that, I have also been working with shadows and observing it even more. Shadows, especially during the daytime, are the result of time and there is a deep connection between the time and shadows — something we do not normally realise as we all rely on our mobiles for time. But there’s something fascinating about the fact that shadows are never the same ever. Shadows of today and those of tomorrow will always be different — something I find extremely fascinating. This is why, I would like to work with shadows so that people start observing something which is so common, yet never considered as a medium of art.
How successful, do you think, is the medium of street art/graffiti when it comes to raising awareness/expressing oneself?
Street art has always been effective; in fact, more effective than a lot of the traditional mediums as well. It can be a medium to bridge the gap between communities, and also one to expand that gap. A wall could start a war between two countries, two cultures, two communities, but a wall can also bring them together. So, the wall as a canvas is a powerful medium and I truly believe that it allows us to express and raise awareness.
Has street art reached its full potential in India?
Street art in India is still at a nascent stage, there is lot to be explored and we are just at the beginning of street art revolution with new arts joining the community. As such, when the real India starts painting on the streets that’s when street art will reach its actual potential. Right now, we’re talking about just the outlines and not the filling, and I think once art gets to masses that’s when the revolution starts.
Can you tell us about your work as part of the Absolut Creative Commune?
I am pleased to collaborate with Absolut to create art that drives positive change and meaningful conversations in society. For the project, I have worked on an artwork that combines different scripts — each being a representation of a culture. Culture, language, and script are part of each other and say a lot about where they come from. The idea was to show how people of India are similar, and so are their cultures and languages. The sculpture is made using two different kinds of dichroic films. When the shadows of those letters fall on ground and merge with each other, it creates an amalgamation of mixed cultures. It is also representative of how I envision India, a mix of different cultures.
Would you ever explore the option of NFT?
NFT is a new medium, and there’s a lot of excitement and confusion around it. I will definitely do something with NFT; it allows an art to directly connect with the larger audience and I think it’s a great way to make a living as an art. Earlier, becoming an art meant answering questions and concerns on earnings, but with options like NFTs, I see more people choosing stick to art. But when I will explore NFT with my works is something that time will tell.
Can you tell us about your experiments with time, and learnings?
Even though I have been experimenting with time for quite some time now, I still think I have a lot to learn about time. Time always fascinates me; but it’s not just me, it has fascinated many creative practitioners for centuries. I want to learn more things about shadows, too, as I have been experimenting with shadows in different parts of the world. I am starting to learn that shadows also across the globe change differently as the world is circular and globe and the angle of the sun is different in every part of this world. The shadows have also been very different with seasons. So, shadows do limit my work at times because I’m dependent on the sun and at times when I have done work and the sun is not coming even in places like Dubai, I have struggled to get my artwork through at those times but otherwise I’m still learning about time.
What are you working on at present?
Currently, I am working on a sketch for a wall in a small town in Italy for a festival called CVTà Campomarano which has invited street arts from different parts of the world during June-July. I am also working on another sketch for Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial, scheduled for October; and I am working on some paintings with shadows.
📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates!
