Exclusive: Inshō Discusses AI in Art and His Upcoming Exhibition in Mauritius

In this fascinating conversation with Impact Newswire, Mauritian artist inshō(whose real name isSachin Mulloo) opens up about his unconventional journey from insurance& finance to becoming a full-time creative. Ahead of his upcoming solo exhibition at the Caudan Arts Centre in his native Mauritius, inshō shares the thinking behind his theme Ithemba Elisha (“A New Hope”), a bold reimagining of Paradise Lost set in an African context.

He also reflects on the evolving Mauritian art scene, the realities of life as an artist, and the increasing role of AI in the art world.

Enjoy the conversation.

Impact Newswire: Can you tell us a bit about your background and your upcoming exhibition in Mauritius?

inshō: So my name is Sachin, but I use inshō as my artist name. I’m in my late 40s. I studied Actuarial Sciences in London, and I’ve worked in the financial sector in Mauritius for 18 years.

After so many years, I started questioning myself about my true purpose in life and leaving a meaningful legacy behind. I humbly say that I was gifted since I never formally studied or learnt art and I did not want this gift going to waste. This is why in 2020, I left the corporate world behind me to become a full-time artist, full time because for me personally, these two worlds simply do not reconcile.

Until now I’ve participated intengroup exhibitions, both locally and internationally.In August this year, I’ll be doing my first solo exhibition at the Caudan Arts Centre in Mauritius. Why the Caudan Arts Centre? Well, itis the only art centre in Mauritius right now equipped with world class facilities making it an improbable platform for local and international artists.After I completed a 3-month art residency at the Centre last year, what attracted me more than the infrastructure is the human connection with the staff and their ability to understand and add value to your creative process.

Impact Newswire: Congratulations on that.

So, what’s the theme of the upcoming exhibition, and what should visitors expect when they come?

inshō: The title of the exhibition is Ithemba Elisha, which means ‘a new hope’ in Zulu language. So, basically, I’ve reimaginedthe epic poem ‘Paradise Lost’ by John Milton, but having occurred in Africa. It is purely by coincidence (or not!) that I started reading Paradise Lost when I was like 15 because of one of my favourite heavy metal bands called Paradise Lost. Every time I used to search the internet (for those who know, think of dial-up connection sounds!), for the band, the book came up first. So, this story has stuck in my mind ever since.

The poem provides a detailed and elaborate description of the Garden of Eden and the fall of humanity. What I found interesting when developing the theme is that although published in 1667, Paradise Lost explores several profound and enduring themes that grapple with complex theological, philosophical and moral questions which are still valid in our current times.

Now why Africa? We’ve all heard of Africa being the “cradle of mankind”. But recently, DNA studies have recently traced the maternal genetic lineage of modern humans to a region in sub-Saharan Africa. Scientistshave even found traces of the Garden of Eden somewhere north of Botswana. This is why for the exhibition, I decided to combine these two ideas together, with a few twists: Extinct and endangered African species having subsequent dominion over mankind and portraying Eve as a strong willed person unlike in the original poem.

The exhibition’s storyline starts with humans starting to get greedy when they see the wealth potential in tusks and horns. This is an analogy made with the greed and subsequent fall of angels from heaven in the original poem. Humans end up killing all rhinos and elephants, until they wipe out the whole population. So what happens after this is that nature gradually regenerates itself, and that’s when Africa is born…

Impact Newswire: How do you see this upcoming exhibition contributing to the Mauritian cultural landscape?

inshō: Well, Mauritius is culturally rich country with several cultures, religions and beliefs co-existing since many years. But in my opinion, art has traditionally never taken centre stage in our lives nor in the economy, although that is now changing. Even the private sector is investing in art centres and exhibitions because they do realise the importance and value of art in our society. Many emerging artists like myself are getting opportunities which were not there before. I do hope that exhibitions like mine will contribute to the conversations around Mauritian art and deepen stakeholder participation in the expression and preservation of cultural identity through art for future generations. A lot of work still remains to be done for the creative economy in Mauritius to have a strong appeal as an investment and a social and cultural asset.I do hope that in the near future, the appeal is such that young artists are motivated to pursue arts as a self-sustaining “career”. Lots of hope but it has to start somewhere!

Impact Newswire: You mentioned that you’ve been creating art since you were very young, and now you are in your 40s. How has your creative process evolved over the years, and what are some of the rituals or practices that you rely on when starting a new piece?

inshō:Indeed it started with scribbling on walls at home when I was little! You know, at the beginning after I had this career change, my focus was much on aesthetics, like crowd-pleasers. And to be honest, at that time,validation from people visiting exhibitions and on social media was very important to me to gauge that I’m on the “right track”. I think this might be true for many artists at the onset of their journey.

But after a while, I found a disconnect between my work and my own self, and validation from others less and less important to me. This is when I started putting more energy in developing thought-provoking narratives around elements that I felt emotionally connected with: animals and nature. This also allowed me to reach a certain clientele who share the same connection as me. I must add also that do enjoy working on animal textures – fur, scales, feathers etc, like I can feel and be immersed in every small detail with every brush or pen stroke.

In the broader sense, I think that evolution what keeps an artist going, like you cannot stay in your comfort zone and keep doing the same things over and over again. Try out new techniques, explore different thematics, keep your creative mind alive. In doing so, you can delve deeper within yourself and you can discover parts of you that you didn’t know existed.

I do not know if I may call it a ritual, but every time I begin the thinking process on a new piece, I isolate myself from people and all the “noise” around so I can have clearer thoughts emanating from within me. In fact when I started working on my solo, I went completely off social media, which I must agree was hard at the beginning, but I eventually found

Impact Newswire: Artists often face challenges, as I’m sure you can relate. What would you say is one of the most significant challenges you’ve ever faced as an artist, and how did you overcome it?

inshō: Well, I was thinking of stating the obvious financial challenge of being a full-time artist. But there is something else that we do not talk much about is the emotional aspect. Artists generally have a highly sensitive nature, experiencing emotions with greater intensity. When I moved into arts, I really never expected this overwhelming effect of emotions and you’re not really taught ever how to deal with them. You feel not only your own emotions but you start picking up and processing emotions of the world around you. Your external support system around you also shrinks because very few people understand you.

I cannot say that I overcame this challenge. I don’t think you ever overcome it. Over time, I have understood that I need to accept that its part of me now. Some days it devours you, some days you’re petting it like a good dog. You just learn how to channel it to fuel your creativity. I’m still learning and just like your creative process keeps evolving, you keep learning .

Am I making sense there? Well, me right now talking to my old self of many years back wouldn’t!

Impact Newswire: In recent years, AI tools have been influencing art. There are even some tools that can create art, you know, from scratch to finish. What do you think of this trend and do you see any opportunities or concerns?

inshō: I definitely do notview it as a concern. I think it’s a matter of personal choice (like free will in Paradise Lost!). As an analogy, there have been extensive debates and controversy on whether some famous installation art in the past should be considered as art given that they were not created by the artist’s hands! I personally do not feel that AI can ever replace my art practice’s human and emotional part. Meaning and emotional resonance is at the centre of my expression process for creating impactful art.

Impact Newswire: Are you of the opinion that AI art should be separated from original art, or you don’t care if they are merged together?

inshō: An AI-created art could touch the heart of the viewer, just like a human-created painting, so do we still call it art or no? However, it’s very important for the artist to specify that it’s been generated by AI.

Impact Newswire: Do you think AI will change the role of artists in the future or enhance the artists and how they express themselves?

inshō:We like it or not, technology in all its forms has integrated itself into our lives over the years. Although quite rapidly advanced, we can generally be considered to be in the early days of the AI era and there are a number of issues to address. For instance generative AI models trained on datasets of copyrighted existing human artwork.

Maybe AI could help artists, especially during moments of creative block. Every artist, whether a writer, painter, designer, or musician, experiences periods where ideas don’t flow easily. In those moments, AI could serve as a tool to spark inspiration, suggest new perspectives, or introduce innovative techniques that the artist might not have considered. It can help expand creative possibilities.

That said, I still believe that what you create with your own hands or from your own mind carries something deeply personal and unique. There’s an authenticity that comes from human expression, from lived experience, emotion, and individual interpretation. AI can assist, but it cannot replace that human essence.

Ultimately, it depends on the artist. Some embrace digital art and technological tools as part of their creative process, while others prefer traditional methods. Art evolves, and tools evolve with it. At its core, art is creation. Anything you create (whether it’s a painting, a digital design, or even a beautifully prepared meal) is a form of art. It’s about expression and bringing something into existence that wasn’t there before.

Impact Newswire: While researching questions to ask you, we found that you’ve done some work promoting the SDGs, particularly pieces in your SDG 16 artwork collection which shows a strong social purpose. What draws you to using art as a vehicle for social impact?

inshō: I believe art is one of the most powerful tools for social impact because it communicates visually, and as humans, we respond strongly to what we see. We experience the world through our senses, but often it’s the visual element that strikes us first and leaves a lasting impression. A compelling image can spark emotion, curiosity, or reflection in ways that words alone sometimes cannot. That’s why I see art as an important vehicle for conveying messages, especially around topics like the SDGs. Through strong visual impact, art can raise awareness, inspire dialogue, and encourage people to think more deeply about social challenges and their role in addressing them.

When choosing themes, I tend to gravitate towards subjects I feel deeply connected to. With the SDGs, for instance, I’m especially drawn to environmental protection. I’m concerned by the fact that humans makes up such a tiny fraction of life on Earth, yet we have such a massive impact on it. That perspective makes me want to create work that highlights our responsibility toward nature and the planet.

I also find that nature offers a kind of purity and clarity. Social and human issues are important, but they often involve complex debates shaped by culture, religion, and personal interpretation. With the environment, the message feels more universal and immediate. That simplicity and authenticity are what often guide my creative choices.

Impact Newswire: Looking ahead, what other themes are you excited to explore in the future?

inshō:My themes tend to evolve naturally over time rather than being strictly planned. Even for my upcoming solo exhibition, the ideas started forming many years before I began creating, and since then, I’ve seen my perspective shift and grow. Because of that, it’s difficult to map out exactly what I’ll explore next. I prefer to let the process unfold organically; sometimes you begin with one idea and end up somewhere completely different. So after this solo phase, I’ll likely follow wherever my creative instincts and evolving mindset lead me.

inshō: I believe art should be accessible to everyone. You don’t need expensive materials to begin. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple ballpoint pen and a sheet of paper. What matters most is the drive to create. If you feel that art is truly in you, then pursue it wholeheartedly. At the same time, I would advise young artists to think about financial stability, especially in the early stages. You can build your craft alongside other work until you’re in a position to fully commit, because constant financial stress can disrupt your creativity.

Being an artist is something you have to live, not just do occasionally. You have to be authentic and fully yourself. Real connection with your art comes from honesty. When you create, you’re expressing who you are, so don’t try to imitate someone else. Embrace your individuality, stay grounded, and let your work reflect your true self.

Impact Newswire: All right. Thank you so much. It’s been very interesting having this conversation with you.

inshō: Thank you!

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