Creative reflection with Ananta Sharma: “I wanted this project to not only be seen, but felt”

My time at AUB has been a whirlwind of exploration, experimentation, and most importantly, a deeper understanding of how storytelling can transcend traditional boundaries to become an immersive experience. When I first joined, I was unsure of what I would find, but I knew one thing for certain: I wanted to blend my love for art with my desire to tell stories that went beyond the conventional. Little did I know that this path would not only transform my creative process, but also shape my perspective on life itself.

My first exhibition, AR Tales: Walk into the Canvas, allowed me to showcase some of my earliest projects from this year. This was a set of personal projects and collaborations with MA Fine Art, where I was able to create a layer of AR over the paintings to simulate an immersive experience, so as to enhance the narrative of each piece. While this exhibition presented several collaborative works like The Ripper, Death Distortion, Crowd of Nothing, Kunjuree and Scales to the Sky, it also encapsulated two of my personal projects – Bathing in Sunlight was one of my earliest projects.

Having recently left home and moved continents away, I felt a sense of disconnection that I knew many others would relate to. This work became a visual metaphor for my own journey – holding onto my cultural identity and values while embracing new experiences and environments.

By the time I created One in a Lac, my work had taken a sharper, more experimental turn. Inspired by the rich cultural heritage of Rajasthan, I sought to bridge tradition and technology. The project was born from the deep, tactile world of Rajasthan’s iconic lac bangles, made from a natural resin secreted by the lac insect. I wanted this project to not only be seen, but felt. The materials I used – coconut oil, fine soil, and soft pastels – were tactile, creating textures and colours that echoed the resin’s warmth. The project extended into the digital realm with AR filters, merging the physical with the virtual. The experience wasn’t just about visual aesthetics, but about immersing the viewer in a multi-sensory world. This fusion of tradition and technology was a pivotal moment in my creative journey, encouraging me to think beyond the canvas and consider how to engage the viewer’s senses.

Then came the 7 Seas Festival, where I exhibited an installation in collaboration with BA (Hons) Visual Effects (VFX) for Film and Television. Titled Build your Beau, this installation allowed users to control movements of a hologram in real-time, using suit-free motion capture technology with AI integrations. Beyond its visual allure, the installation served as a reflection on the relationship between human expression and its digital counterpart. While suit-free mo-cap technology enabled impressive mimicry of movements, it underscored the irreplaceable creativity and emotional depth inherent to human performance.

My collaborations with other artists also shaped me in ways I hadn't anticipated. Dashavatar: Reincarnation through Evolution was a project born from my partnership with MA Illustration, and it became a profound exploration of mythology through the lens of evolution. As we worked together to interpret the 10 avatars of Lord Vishnu, each symbolising a key moment in the progression of life, I learned how to marry two worlds – ancient stories and modern ideas – into a cohesive narrative. This was more than just about art; it was a reflection of humanity’s evolutionary journey, intertwining the divine with our own struggle for growth.

Collaborating with MA Historical Costume on Emerald Illusionist was another milestone. This project reimagined Celia Bowen from The Night Circus; not just as a character, but as a living, breathing entity whose costumes and magical essence told her story. This project in particular taught me so much in terms of technique and process. While there were a lot of challenges with rendering our vision to finesse, I was able to really explore the vast possibilities for real-time cloth simulation in AR interactions.

When I think back on my year at AUB, I see it as a journey of evolution, of stories told and retold, of challenges faced and overcome, and of endless experimentation. Together with the International Collective Exhibition and the final MA showcase, I got the opportunity to contribute and participate in four exhibitions throughout the year. From the early, deeply personal works like Bathing in Sunlight, to the boundary-pushing projects like Build your Beau, I’ve learned to embrace both the old and the new, the emotional and the experimental.

I’ve realised that storytelling is not just about telling others what you know; it’s about inviting them to see the world through your eyes and feel what you feel. It’s about creating spaces where imagination and reality collide, and where both the artist and the viewer can discover something new about themselves in the process. I cannot stress enough on how grateful I am to the faculty and friends I made here. This past year changed me as a person more than anything and I will carry that with me forevermore.

As I move forward in my career, I’m filled with excitement. There is so much more to explore, so many more stories to tell, and an ever-growing world of immersive possibilities awaiting me. And to anyone who needs to hear this today: never stop experimenting, embrace the vulnerability in your work, and always strive to connect on a deeper level with those who experience your art.

Want to find out more? Connect with Ananta on LinkedIn.