Nikhil Chopra | Indias Enthralling Performance Artist

Nikhil Chopra is a unique enactor and creator of art. His talents consist of theatrical performances during which he takes on various roles, large-scale landscape paintings, and using the body as an artistic medium. His performances are like journeys, with a beginning and an end – a journey of transformation. Here we explore the enthralling work of the Indian artist.

The Artist’s Inspiration

Chopra’s artistic flair is rooted in his family’s appreciation of art. The performer once wrote that his grandfather’s paintings adorned the walls of his family home and he grew up gazing at them for hours… His paintings were like windows to a time when he spent the summers with his grandparents. In fact, some of the artist’s characters are even based upon his grandfather, Yog Raj Chopra.

Chopra’s Many Characters

Artistic Curiosity

Chopra’s embodiments of varied roles come out of a mental complex of identity, nationhood, gender and existentialism. His questions relating to the notion of existence led him to explore and create different personas in order to seek out an answer. Essentially the artist plays with the body – painting, shaving and dressing it, making it noticeable to the public. This concept of transforming the body into artwork is a method used to explore existential themes.

Nikhil Chopra, Space Oddity, 18 hour performance, 2013

Chopra’s Exploration of Artistic Spaces

Before a performance at a particular place, Chopra takes time to go around on an observational walk. His aim is to know, explore and situate himself in that particular place, and his mantra is to travel. By exploring the wider ends of a city, he then draws it up on tall walls, wide sheets of paper or even cloth pieces, to substantiate the desire to create what he is looking at. This sets the background to his performance; for him everything is transformative.

The Artist’s Perception of Time

Chopra sees history not as linear but as ambiguous and abstract. He derives his characters from the past but at the same time gives them a new air to breathe. He places them in the contemporary moment and then plays with them.

The Mediums of the Artist

Overall his art is an amalgamation of performance and portraiture, photography and painting, sculpture and theater. Performance stands for documentation, the live event that is recorded; whereas the drawings and paintings are left after the performance for the residual effect.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.