Pardip Kapil
ARTISTIC PRACTICE
Pardip Kapil creates site-specific, temporary structures and scenes. Pardip himself is central to his work, often performing under various guises such as ‘Pop Up Pardip’ or Father Christmas. He combines installation and performance with handmade costumes, props, found objects, music and projections. This creates a multi-layered experience for the viewer, who is often invited to join the performance. His work explores themes of celebration and ritual, creating a unique fusion of Christmas, birthdays, discos, beds, and funeral pyres. He documents his work through film and photography. This footage is then incorporated into future performances. Pardip’s energetic and often surreal practice showcases his pure creativity.
Learn more about Pardip's work on the ActionSpace website ⭢
Learn more about Pardip’s Make it Live projects ⭢
Master DJ Pardip leads a POP UP PARDIP event at Tate Exchange, Tate Modern.
POP UP PARDIP directs participants on the dancefloor.
Pardip wears a handmade POP UP PARDIP costume.
Pardip hides amongst his installation for his POP UP PARDIP Fun Palaces live event in Barham Park
POP UP PARDIP Christmas!
Projects + EVENTS
Audience participation is a crucial element of Pardip’s practice. Pardip continues to explore ways of sharing his live practice both online over Zoom and at in-person events.
See all events featuring Pardip ⭢
PARDIP KAPIL RESIDENCY AT STUDIO VOLTAIRE
In 2022 Pardip undertook a 3-month residency at Studio Voltaire in partnership with ActionSpace as part of the Explorers Project, to explore his live art practice in depth. The residency culminated in a large-scale installation intertwined with live elements for Studio Voltaire’s Open House weekend. Pardip fused handmade and found objects, props, experimental imagery, and sound to create an alternative Christmas experience for visitors. Wearing a specially commissioned costume he became Father Christmas during the event, blessing those who entered and explored his grotto space and handing them cakes with his face printed on with edible ink.
Pardip Kapil’s Explorer’s residency installation at Studio Voltaire.
Pardip Kapil at Tate Liverpool Explorers Conference 2022
In 2022 Pardip was invited to lead the closing event for the Explorers conference at Tate Liverpool. Wearing a robe inspired by Father Christmas he created a site-specific installation, incorporating box towers with life-sized photo portraits of Pardip amongst props, photo placards and projections. He invited conference participants to explore his artworks and then dance, as directly instructed by Pardip at his disco.
Pardip Kapil in amongst his installation at the Tate Liverpool
MAKE IT LIVE: Battersea Arts Centre
Pardip co-led MAKE IT LIVE: Battersea Arts Centre in 2022. Pardip presented an interactive sculptural disco event and invited participants to create placards and disco towers out of boxes, tapes, paper and objects. Pardip DJ’d and led everyone to move around the event space at Battersea Arts Centre, bringing their sculptures and placards with them.
Participants interacting with materials in Pardip’s installation at Battersea Arts Centre
Studio Voltaire Open House 2021
For Studio Voltaire’s Open House in 2021, Pardip created an alternative Christmas Grotto out of assembled boxes, garlands of flowers, photographs, props and projections. During the event Pardip led a spontaneous and emotional live art happening, combining mixing audio sounds alongside disassembling his grotto installation as a gradual performative process.
A collage by Pardip Kapil made up of layers of white and orange paper, pink and red tape and photos of Pardip.
POP UP PARDIP’S Zoom Disco for Wandsworth arts fringe
Pardip worked extensively with One Trust, a community hub in Wandsworth, to explore the digital potential of his practice via Zoom. Pardip and One Trust participants shared ideas and materials during regular Zoom sessions over 2021-2022, exploring installation making, props, costumes and music. Pardip used close up camera work, film tours and projections during the Zoom sessions so participants could explore his work in detail. In response, participants showcased their own artworks. Their creative exchanges led to the development of Pop Up Pardip’s Zoom Disco for Wandsworth Arts Fringe in 2021. Online sessions and events presented new creative opportunities for interaction and often non-verbal communication, reaching a wider range of participants who may not be able to attend in-person events.
