Sobhan Dutta

The power and beauty of Dutta's technique is in his use of color, texture to give volume to the figures and the fluidity of lines and stokes to depict sensuality of the forms. Dutta's ability to internalize experience and express it in a style is delightfully refreshing. The cornerstone in his art is the restoration of silence, which he describes as a quality of amazement that we feel in the presence of the world, and an attendant ability to surrender ourselves before its enchantment. Dutta's ability to juxtapose contrary emotions, the real and imaginary and the known and unknown, make his art not only a form of self expression but a reflection, of a collective and subjective consciousness. His paintings derive their impact both from their level of detail and from subtle yet furious undercurrent of cool logical analysis that sweeps them up to tantalizing heights.

Stylized forms, flowing colors, volume to the figures and the fluidity of lines and strokes to depict sensuality, movement of forms and stillness co-exist in my work. Using warm hues and vibrant colors and juxtapose of the figurative, representative and stylized art, topped with academic technique, I have tried to create a unique place within the art scene. The soulfulness of mood and memory, sweep and slash of colors, the transparent depth of colors, and texture are all that make my artistry a wonderful coalescence of art and thought.

I was born in a small town, near Calcutta, India. From a very early age I drew pictures for the sheer joy of it. I was more interested in collecting images from master painters, to recreate them, create clay models for goddess rather than studying. In school, my textbooks were filled with drawings; I illuminated the chapter headings and drew faces and objects all over the pages. I drew whatever I saw in my mind and it seemed magical. The power to make beautiful things that did not exist in real life was my fascination. By the time I reached high school, I started getting recognition, and when asked what I wanted to be when I ‘grew up,’ the most natural answer I provided “I’ll be an artist”.

Throughout my childhood, figures, nature, architecture were everywhere in my paintings. I saw art in the sprawling old architecture, human anatomy and in all the other objects around me. During my under graduate days in Kolkata I used to visit the Victoria Memorial Hall and Indian Museum to see western paintings and Indian sculptures. I saw works by Rembrandt, Picasso and all the Western masters as well as Indian sculpture and paintings from Ajanta to Konark. I admired both the styles and they are reflected in my paintings consciously and unconsciously. I liked the way Rembrandt used light, admired the Impressionists and the Cubist phase of Picasso, all these great work have influenced me to find my own style. To make the medium completely independent I sometimes experiment with these forms and techniques to realize my emotions and perceptions in the characters while portraying as a union of reality and imagination. Human figures were always a focal point in my painting, Travel is part of my life and it influences my canvases with different forms and emotions.

Impulse is always there, it is inherent, whatever I paint I try to represent that inner essence on paper and canvasses. Spiritual elements are more important to me in my paintings then the natural ones. After all one can replicate a character but the attempt would only result in a 'photograph' not a work of 'art'. Thus the search for the soul persists, the search to look within, and feel being one of them. In life while we try to capture what we see, we also keep changing because our way of seeing changes. The way I looked at a subject 20 years ago is not what I see now. I see less and exact now, there is a foundation of minimalist moods that has entered that approach, and it dictates what I translate onto the canvas.

As an artist, I have splashed my brushes and pens with various media. Be it watercolors, oil, acrylic or gouache, I am equally adept in all painting styles and have experimented with almost all types of medium. Over the years after experiencing all these mediums and mastering them, I often use multiple media. My paintings are often multilayered and textured based. One can see the lowest layer through the top layers.