Bobo Calcutta: Love is all You Need

Meet Ayushman Mitra, Promoter and Owner of BOBO Calcutta studied in Conde Nast college, London. “BOBO’ is a flagship store and a store house of unconventional art. Launching his labour of love, his flagship store, in June, 2016, he admits he fondly addresses it as the ‘chamber of the Goddess of Love’. “A store, where art is available in every form; with which to adorn your skin, and your homes. Art in life, life in art.”

Where it All Began

I was born in Calcutta to a cosmopolitan middle-class Bengali family and spent most of my school life in Ajmer, studying at Mayo College. I did my higher studies in Film and Media from St. Xavier’s College, Calcutta. During that period I started painting professionally and participated in many solo and group exhibitions. I worked on music festival sets, made music videos for pop bands, designed costumes and also acted in a few projects. It was when I went to London to study fashion that the idea of the brand was born… since then, there has been no looking back.

BOBO Calcutta-The Concept

A non-conformist design label that screams of loud and unabashed ideas of all things- art, love, sexuality, colour and chaos.

‘Bobo Calcutta’ literally creates breakthrough rebel art, weaved into the quintessential Calcutta chromosome. The trademark prints that feature in every collection is developed from original paintings by me (Bobo) to create limited edition garments.

The brand believes in making art available to people in form of wearables, more like making it one’s own skin rather than hanging it on the wall. Lip locks, screaming mouths, split faces and flowers are motifs that are central to the prints. They represent the ideas of liberation and one’s right to love freely.

Why the Store is Unique

It wanted art to travel outside the gallery space, for it to become a lifestyle and a luxury statement. With my work I believe a conversation has started. To openly talk about our right to kiss who every we want to, to celebrate our sexuality, to embrace our true self. I often call my brand a pretty protest; the colours and chaotic patterns along with the kissing faces stand as a symbol of what I call the liberation of love . The visibility of art that moves into people’s wardrobe puts a very different focus on the matter I am taking about… sometimes a painting hanging in a fancy apartment fails to do that.

Not to Miss at the Store

The concept store houses an array of bespoke products which include the spring summer fashion line- The Quarrelling Garden. Paintings- Split face motifs, psychedelic colour schemes, bold lines and the most noticeable floral maze are the trademark of my work. The concepts of universal love, sexuality and equality are themes that are reflected in my body of work . Garments-The brand focuses on making art available to people in the form of wearables. As a practicing painter, I address themes such as universal love and sexual equality through motifs such as kissing faces. The clothes primarily cater to people who appreciate a clearly conceptualised and playfully detailed maximalist aesthetics. Furniture- Avant-garde and playful, the furniture can be categorised as artworks. Upholstery developed from paintings, distinct shapes are Bobo’s USP. Sculpture- the paintings take a three-dimensional form to create larger than life representations of mystical human and animal species. Man’s bond with the animal kingdom and the environment almost come alive in these lifeless fibre glass pieces of art. Accessories- Leather products and jewellery are smaller items that carry my trademark artistic vision.

His Views on Free Love

My views are simple, Love is the basis of our civilisation. To deny someone their right to love who they want to is equivalent to murder. It is our birth right to love and be loved freely, and there cannot be any questions on that. Period. The idea of colour in clothing being restricted to my gender is something my brand has been able to break through. Most of the garments are gender fluid, loud and unapologetic. It is rebellion clothing which wants to rub a few people the wrong way… people who stand between us and free love . I have been successful at doing that at times. It makes me happy.

Landmark Work

Our campaign photo shoots have always created a buzz, some love it, some hate it… but they can’t be ignored. The campaigns have always been about the mood and not just the clothing. They have always spoken about the current social fabric of our times. Our recent campaign — The Quarrelling Garden was much appreciated. It spoke about the buried voices of our community and the prints featured screaming faces and bleeding hearts.

Inspiration to Inspire

Love does. I fall in love with people and places all the time. The conflicts that surround my romance is my greatest inspiration. I am also a digger for history and mythology. I like the surreal mystery that surrounds these topics. It’s a mix of everything actually. I create my fictional world taking a little from everything that surrounds me. Yes, sometimes I have done work to impress the men I love, only sometimes!

Three Biggest Challenges for the LGBT Community in India

Without a doubt it has to be the lack of it. We live in a community that still whispers the word ‘gay’ to a large extent. How can one provide healthcare to people when you fail to officially acknowledge them in the first place? Our lives are not to be spent confined to our community. We are citizens of a democracy and we deserve what is ours. It’s going be a long long fight but at least we are talking about it and some of us are warring for it too.

Three things he sees Changing in the Immediate Future for the LGBT Community in India

Depression — It is killing an entire generation of creative minds. The Government cannot keep quiet on this motion. It is mass murder. I am grateful that I belong to a social circle where there are people who look out for me. So many others are shunned and isolated by families and friends… what happens to them? The Government has to address the issue in a much broader scale. Section 377 is a part of it. The problem is much larger.

Conversation in Schools — It all starts there. I know so many people who had such a difficult time growing up. Some of us were strong or got lucky. It was not easy for most who were discovering their sexuality. Bullying and abuse can change someone’s life for the worst forever. Conversations have to start at school level and acceptance in the key to secure the future of our children.

On a lighter note, I would love to see some gay bars and pubs where people can hangout and meet others in person, the apps (like grindr) are getting a little too much. We are loosing our social skills. We either meet at Prides or film festivals or protest marches. We deserve to have fun and dance. We deserve to have that life. I know its not happening very soon with the current mood of our country but no harm is wishing for something !

Most of my paintings and prints feature a lip lock between androgynous faces. These faces can be seen of garments, furniture, jewellery. Everything. It is my identity almost. I hope one day it emerges as a symbol of our times… my lips, my kiss, my body, my wish… that is what I propagate through my work.

An Ideal World according to him

God, that’s difficult. I want it to be too many things. But to keep it simple — a world where no one has to suffer because of who you choose to love a certain way, which might not be the popular ideology. Love cannot be the reason for the loss of life.