A solo show by Sajal Sasanka Sarkar
In the realm of art, a storyteller stands,
Crafting worlds with gentle hands.
Pulp to canvas, hues ethereal take flight,
A symphony of colours, both deep and light.
Through the eyes of the painter, a vision divine,
Where humans and creatures in harmony combine.
Pondering, he sculpts the language of the earth,
A dialogue of coexistence, a testament of birth.
From the surface, they rise with grace,
Alive in texture, an inviting embrace.
Contours carved by an artist's hand,
Each, a raised effect; each love unplanned.
A dance of shadows, a play of light,
On a bare surface, emotions take flight.
The canvas breathes, tells us the untold,
The friend emerges, timeless and bold.
Sana Krishna
Sajal Sasanka Sarkar’s relief artworks represent a narrative created through a well-researched and time-consuming process that is his very own. His love for the medium began in art school when, at the time, there was a paper-making department in the graphics faculty.
Sarkar’s works are made from cotton and banana modified pulp, a robust material: hydrophobic, anti-fungal and dust-proof. Resembling large chunks of stone, the works in the shades of sandstone are created from cotton and banana fibre while the works in blue and white are from cotton fibre. Every stroke that one observes is cotton/banana pulp crafted to create the colours and forms to reflect his artistic individuality.
A storyteller, Sarkar creates characters and makes them perform, as if they are playing to a large audience on stage. The motifs which appear in this Barodian’s works are gentle depictions drawn from traditions of his beloved Bengal. Subtle humour pervades his work offering the viewer enjoyable relief. Flowers, architectural forms and animals populate his works and cohabit with one another in delightful harmony.
His characters possess spontaneity and sensuousness conveying emotions, which Sarkar feels are integral to his narrative. His bold forms sometimes engage openly with sociopolitical issues.
Sarkar believes that in our constant quest to be understood, we often overlook the importance of ‘being understanding’.
It is a delicate and fragile balance, which only some attempt and few achieve.
Embracing both, our individual stories and the narratives of those around us, will foster harmony, the artist believes.
We write our own stories.