He paints, sculpts, draws inspiration from other artists and creates in the darkness of his room. His dreadlocks have never been a hindrance to his activity. Portrait of an artist who expresses his emotions through his hands and brushes.
Art is a liberation for him. A way of expression. A range of emotions. His style ? Expressionism, the projection of a subjectivity which tends to distort reality. He does not hesitate to go as far as distorting the features. Artisfari, real name Toolsinath Goolzar, does not seek to show the world as it is, but to express it.
“Above all, I want to express emotions without using words. I don’t represent anything directly,” explains the 24-year-old artist and sculptor whose very long dreadlocks do not go unnoticed. To name is to freeze the emotion, to imprison it. Art, on the contrary, breaks down barriers and breaks down prejudices.
Artisfari knows something about this. “My name is Toolsinath, a Hindu name. I have been following Rastafarianism for eight years and I am a Rasta. To many, I am intriguing. We’re trying to guess who I am. Whereas in the art world, it’s not a problem. This all bothers me. I am not accountable to anyone,” he insists.
Moreover, his artist name comes from his passions: art and Rastafarianism (see box). “I didn’t want to use my name and add ‘art’ to my online pages. By mixing art and Rastafarianism, Artisfari was born,” explains the resident of Bon-Accueil.
His first contact with art dates back to childhood, he says. Like many children, he spent his time scribbling in a notebook. “It always appealed to me. Little by little, I noticed that I had a real penchant for art. Over time, I got better,” says Toolsinath Goolzar.
Thus, after his secondary studies, he began a degree in art at the University of Mauritius and at MGI. “I plan to pursue a master’s degree and why not a doctorate in art elsewhere,” he confides.
A great admirer of Michelangelo, an Italian artist and poet considered one of the most important and influential figures of the Renaissance, Artisfari likes to combine colors in his works. From painting to painting, we find yellow, black, different tones of red and gray. A woman with curly hair and a sad face is depicted there.
“As an artist, I can only limit myself to sculpture. I mainly worked in this field during my studies. As soon as I started, I was captivated by everything 3D… For this painting, the woman is a precious being for me. Through my own experience, I experienced something personal. I am not trying to denigrate her, quite the contrary. I wanted to show its beauty,” explains the artist, who spends more than eight hours in his room creating. “Recently, I made a sculpture that evokes a slightly different human being. I let myself be carried away by surrealism. A snake surrounds him,” adds Artisfari.
It was last year that he decided to devote himself fully to art, encouraged by his victory at the Sand Sculpture Festival organized in Flic-en-Flac. Although he was able to participate in the Mauritius Arts Expo and other exhibitions across the island, he nevertheless concedes that finding work in this field in Mauritius is difficult. “Before devoting myself full-time to my art, I worked for a while in a call center. »
Today, Artisfari says he receives a few orders at times, “no more…” “In Mauritius, it’s difficult to make a living from art. It’s a small island and it’s a shame that many don’t pay it the necessary attention,” he regrets.
From adventure to misadventure, however, there is no question of him giving up. Each brushstroke, each unwritten word that he transmits on a painting becomes the common thread of his life full of passion and freedom. “I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. »
Inspired by the Rastafari movement
It was during his studies, in Higher School Certificate, that Toolsinath Goolzar became immersed in the Rastafari movement. “I was already interested in this culture, but I didn’t have dreadlocks yet,” he says.
At the time, he had a school project. “I was introverted and it was essential that I meet Rastas. So I had to do some research and I approached them in Chamarel. They inspired me a lot,” says the young man who is also keen on bodybuilding.
Subsequently, Toolsinath Goolzar grew his dreadlocks. “It’s been eight years since I cut my hair,” admits the sculptor.
His family initially struggled to embrace their new lifestyle. “My parents had difficulty accepting my dreadlocks. We have gone through periods of conflict. It was a taboo subject,” reveals the former student of the Bon Accueil RCA school.
He is nevertheless determined to follow his passion and his family finally accepts his choice. However, he also admits to facing certain discrimination. “I was on the bus during my graduate school years. I sat down in a seat and there was an empty seat. The bus was crowded but no one wanted to sit next to me. However, the receiver did say that there was room next to me,” he says.
Although he cares little for the opinions of others and continues his path, he nevertheless deplores certain mentalities. “Society limits Rastas to a practice and nothing else,” he regrets. However, he affirms, Rastafarianism is a little part of each of us.
