Triveni Gallery unveiled a new exhibition, ‘Perception Unfold II’, featuring creations from artist Pintu Sikder. Sikder’s brass works amalgamate beautifully with the form he creates. The material speaks for itself along with Pintu’s narrative of cherishing nature and visually stating it in a way that ignites a sense of care amongst the folks of diverse regions and cultures. His works not only offer aesthetical beauty but also interrogate the changing world, where concrete is replacing nature because of man’s unfulfilled desires and never-ending greed. After investigating the true essence of his work, the conclusion appears cloudy, as he tries to include numerous narratives in a single work that merges with a certain sense of aesthetic pleasure. His work undoubtedly stands apart from his contemporaries as it speaks of middle-class families and thoroughly criticizes the differences between higher and lower classes. His works delve into the marginalized sections of the social strata and present dialogues of man and his environment.
Pintu was born in 1983 in a family struggling for livelihood at Shibrampur situated on the outskirts of the city of Kolkata. Despite a brilliant result in higher secondary (which could’ve helped his widowed mother monetarily), he chose to become an artist; his ultimate dream. He studied Bachelor of Visual Arts at the Indian College of Art and Draftsmanship, later pursuing a Master of Fine Art at Rabindra Bharati University. His quest for presenting narratives through sculptures and ceramics made him popular among art enthusiasts and creators. In this exhibition, he used simple brass nuts as his medium and made sculptures of sheer strength and aesthetics. His sculptures ponder upon industrialization and urbanization, global warming and pollution, and the future of our planet. Pintu Sikder is one of such artists who found his life in his daily struggles for bread, having no one to guide him; he found his path to perfection by scrutinizing the nature of reality and evolving along with the development of his intellect and daily experiences.
The artist shared his process “I work more with brass, I used nuts for this series of work. I started with decorative pieces, and steadily I started working on aesthetics and concept-based works. The things that haunt me in society and make me think about those hidden aspects become my inspiration for the works. The name of this exhibition is Perception Unfold because it allows one to understand and explore the works in a particular way. There is no objective meaning to my works, the subject relates to everyone and thus allows folks to inquire about it freely. My work consists of aspects of politics, society, and my journey from Kolkata to Delhi. Sometimes, my memories participate in my works as well.” Sincerity, dedication, and commitment are the pillars of his growth over time. His approach of being perfect and learning every day opens new doors for him throughout his journey.
He shared the reason for his material, “I work with brass because it has longevity as compared to other materials. Nuts have a connection with industrialization, so my work represents our mechanical lives. It represents that AI soon will take over our work, and we will lose our credibility. The political concept all over India is the same; however, because I was born in Kolkata, my work contains narratives of Kolkata more than Delhi.” Observing nature around him and making it larger than life, the artist displays the serene and fragile beauty of the objects he creates, case in point, the flower-like installation. Pintu’s shy nature tells an opposite story in his works, which screams and inspires you to mull over the concepts that are being ignored and never taken into account. In his own words: “Indiscriminate use of chemicals hampers the fertility of the land left. Days are not far off when the land will refuse to produce. We shall have to depend absolutely on industry for food to eat. This is the real predicament. I wanted to reflect this in my creation. I started sculpting what I visualize.”
Observing human nature and objects around him, his inspiration is vivid, and he meticulously constructs all his imagination into the brass works that define his worldview but with an exception that it allows you to perceive accordingly. His works unfold themselves slowly but stay in your consciousness. He adds high depth and volume to his works, generating mesmerizing memories. The artist has created a dazzling effect in his works that he takes from the vignette of his everyday life. All his works based on nature exemplify that “Nature imparted tenderness and gracefulness in man.” His depiction of day-to-day tales is worth appreciating as he focuses on the struggles and little efforts of a man who fights against all the odds to earn a livelihood for himself and his family. I think his work also generates a feeling of despair and destruction, revolving around our immediate surroundings, the ultimate truth becomes clearer in his depictions.
Image Courtesy – Pintu Sikder
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