His unique sculptures are more of a thing of beauty rather than bizarre specimens. It walks the line of figurative art instead of abstract compositions. Be it joy, love, intimacy, affection or mother-child bonding, sculptor Subrata Paul
carves out a subtle essence of deeper meaning and adds a higher philosophy to his creations that primarily revolve around relationships. The human bonhomie or a man’s synergy with nature comes alive in his chiseled craft. Intricately shaped and designed to perfection, Paul makes his oeuvre stand out with its lustrous finish and exquisite finesse.
Shedding explicit light on the subject of his engraved artworks, Paul says, “Man is gregarious by nature. He is a social animal. He builds homes, makes relations and lives with his families under one roof. He believes in togetherness and can’t just float around in solitude like a silent island. He has to communicate and must do so in order to keep his true self alive. In fact, anthropological studies show that clannish communities or tribal units live in clusters of human habitats,” adding, “This happens through an interpersonal exchange of values, messages, opinions, viewpoints, signals and conversations.”
To establish his point further, he says, “Now this constant communication amongst people provokes transactions, both at a personal, as well as at business levels. And every action being committed results in an equal and opposite reaction like Newton’s third law of motion. Thus, as a response to stimuli, man’s expression gets a stamp of impression over his face, which like a mirror reflects the image of his inner hidden feelings.” An array of Paul’s 20 art pieces was recently exhibited at Kolkata’s reputed Academy of Fine Arts. Dabbling in the bronze medium, Paul deduces that it lends a permanent effect to his sculpted series, unlike other media. Although, Paul has on several occasions tried his hand at mixed media, by combining wood with bronze or blending bronze with the marblewood. However, at the end of the day, his decision to stick to his favourite medium — bronze — has paid off well.
Explaining his fixation for bronze, Paul says: “You see, fibre is a petroleum product and is difficult to sustain in the long run. It has a limited shelf-life and lacks the perpetual rhythm of a bronze statue’s everlasting existence. Hence, for a bulk of outdoor sculptures, bronze is the ideal medium. It is a precious metal alloy, no doubt. But, unlike iron which rusts in due course of time, bronze seldom gets damaged. Despite coming in contact with the external weather, it never changes its physical form or its appearance. Its durability factor is therefore maximum.”
Armed with a diploma in visual arts from the Academy of Fine Arts, Paul has been a regular participant at all major gallery displays across the national art map. Capturing grotesque forms, various eventful moments, different moodswings and a flurry of activities around the world, Paul incarcerates every interesting sight that meets his roving eye. While all his dexterously crafted specimens seem to don different chromatic shades on the surface, Paul nevertheless hurries to clarify that “bronze cannot be applied with colours. It is always chemically treated or technically what you call — patinated — via a lost-wax method of casting and moulding.”
In January 2011 next year, Paul alongwith his co-members of the distinguished sculptors group will be showcasing his works for a week at Delhi’s well-known Lalit Kala Akademi.
Noted art critic Prasanta Daw had commented in his certifying citation after inspecting Paul’s quaint works: “He is a young, dynamic sculptor... who always explores the hidden territories of visual forms. His sculptures... are fascinated by the spirit beyond the apparent visual world.” True art never dies we feel and a true born artist never fails to get his due recognition, which he unarguably deserves!