Artists Suman Sengupta and Amit Dey interpret life through daring experimentation
New Delhi, Dec 24: The objects in photographs and paintings may look familiar and a tad recognisable, but a look inside them can explode into your face as they explore life and the happenings around it in a stunningly refreshing and daring manner.
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| Shashi Tharoor at Shift Collective Exhibition |
“Shift Collective”, a unique exhibition of paintings and photographs of two Delhi-based young artists -- Suman Sengupta and Amit Dey -- is an awesome melange of images, emotions and expressions of a journey that is both inward and outward. It is true to life and comments upon the world around us.
Shift is different from moving forward or moving backward. It means moving along the lateral. And among all physical mobility - pushing, pulling, picking or dropping -- shifting is the most challenging.
In the 22 works in this exhibition, one can see a gradation in the development of the ideas of the artists in this scheme and how each concept has been meticulously developed. The artists come from the mainstream visual media. The major shift in the manner in which the artists have challenged their mainstream work is the real creative genius of this exhibition.
Mounted at the Lalit Kala Akademi, the week-long exhibition was jointly inaugurated by eminent painter Sanjay Bhattacharya, whose paintings adorn the walls of the National Gallery of Modern Art, Delhi, and leading photographer and advertising professional Akash Das, on Sunday (December 21). ‘Shift Collective’ is a rare coming together of the popular and the exclusive where works challenge their own subjects and metaphors. It is familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.
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| Power. Amit Dey. Digital Print on Paper |
“The images that I have showcased at the exhibition are very personal. This is pure photography, not digital art. The images have been created in-camera,” says Amit, who has achieved commercial success and critical acclaim in equal measure. His commercial work includes campaigns for Honda, Coca-Cola, Monte Carlo and Nescafe.
Amit’s photographs are a technical delight as he has used colourful light sources and exploited long exposures to create vignettes of light in his frames. Even while he lets loose, he pushes his equipment quite far so as to allow it to perform freely. In a quiet metaphor, he has lived the real meaning of photography in his works - writing light with light and creatingthe mesmerizing shimmering effect that light and shadows create on a vast space filled with lines and shapes. Two of his works on display – Power and Origin – bear ample testimony to it.
“I am a commercial photographer but I have shed my inhibitions and played with light in a child-like manner. What has emerged has surprised me too,” he says.
Suman, currently the Executive Creative Director at Hammer Communication, has used familiar branding images in his paintings but has changed their perspective and context in his works. He is a master in his craft; he renders contemporary images successfully and is also able to bring about the imperfect line work of the tribal artist with equal measure of clarity.
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| Let's play, Suman Sengupta |
“I think about what is happening around us, we need a shift in our thinking and our practice and as an artist I feel responsible that my art should reflect my opinion. My paintings are bold, honest and simple, driven essentially by my passion and love for the vocation,”explains the artist, who has been inspired by the works of Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso and Bikash Bhattacharya, all known to be passionate painters, who painted because of an urgent need to express without a care for consequence
Dr. Shashi Tharoor, the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram who was among the special attendees at the inauguration, was effusive in his praise of the works of the two artists. “The photograph titled Soul is my favourite as it brings out the meaning of the word beautifully. I also like Breaking the LOC as it reveals the imminent danger of violence edging into peace in our environs, very evocative”.
Commenting upon Suman’s work, Sanjay Bhattacharya said: “Although he is an advertising person, he has been able to break his own mould; he has achieved a creative departure from illustrations to paintings, which is difficult for advertising professionals to do”.
Akash Das was deeply impressed by Amit’s works. “I would rather call Amit’s photographs as paintings: they have a magical graphic quality and create a world of wonders; they are very powerful.”
The artists have also created attractive postcards and bookmarks of their selected works which sold out quickly on the opening date. The artists have used everyday cartons to create interesting installations which carry the exhibition text as a design intervention.
“This is an internal journey but so daring that it should be thrown up in the open to be watched and interpreted. The technique, form and style of the two artists are different but they merge into an organic whole to create a beautiful tapestry of images and unique interpretations of life around,” says Ms Joyoti Roy, the curator who works with the Outreach Department at the National Museum and has worked together with the artists to bring out their thoughts revealed through the works.
The exhibition will remain on view till December 27.
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