Life began, like that of any mortal, with my birth. However, I started ‘living’ when I began to feel and register the various nuances associated with the two fundamental parts of human existence – joy and sorrow. This process was further augmented by the diverse associations with like-minded people which inevitably develop based on the most fundamental of human associations – the prime one being that of one’s family. Concurrently, there developed those emotions which evolve from the complexities and tensions linked with alternating periods of happiness and grief, hope and despair. These emotions can not be properly expressed by means of language – spoken or written. It is the irrepressible urge to express these very ‘untold words’ which acted as a catalyst to focus all my attention to painting. I felt that it is through this medium that I could express these complex and sensual emotions. To me the very act of interacting with the canvas is a form of meditation. Further, with the hope to rid (or at least alert) society of its present state of disjoint – mostly due to the disharmony that has plagued us in recent times due mostly to atrocities in all walks of life – that I turned all my energy to my art. To ensure that I achieve this daunting task, I decided to give predominance to the pure (and primary) colours – Red, Blue, and Yellow – in all my paintings. The harmonious co-existence of these colours to enhance the aesthetic appeal of my works has been my sincere effort.

Like these differing colours, society itself is comprised of people from different backgrounds of caste, creed, race, and gender. One can go so far as to say that just as a disproportionate mixture of the primary colours create a dull and drab impression on the canvas, the lack of harmony in our society stems from our inability to co-exist harmoniously. And just as the disproportionate mixture of colours gives the impression of something sinister lurking behind the obvious, the disharmony in society suggests exactly the same. Today’s society has become soulless. In such a scenario, the flowers in my work may appear to be utopian, but Nature (in spite of the modern age apathetic and mechanical life-style) always reminds us that no matter what we do, we can never ever suppress her. Nature can do this by simply drawing our attention to the exquisite ‘Shimul’ flower during spring or by expressing her anger through natural disasters like the Tsunami.

Being a die-hard optimist and a believer in positivism I am relentlessly fighting to establish a distinct identity through my paint-brush and canvas. However, my struggle is aimed at enhancing the quality of my work, not – at least primarily – to ensure bread and butter. It is the struggle to rise above the material and bring out the real ‘I’ that wants to establish itself in accordance with Bharat’s culture and heritage. It is this frame of mind which inspires me to express my self through golden and silver colours on the canvas when even the tiniest ray of sunlight or moonlight touches me in spite of the concrete jungle in which we live. Thus it is through an intermingling of various forms, textures, tones, and colours – both familiar as well as unfamiliar – that I create my works. It is my dream world which in turn serves as a platform for my struggle in today’s world – for my very existence as well as for carving out a niche – a personal space - for my self which transcends the restrictions imposed by society.


SUMANA BISWAS

PARTICIPATION
•Annual Art Exhibitions 2001 - 2003, in Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata.

•A group show at Metropolitan Art Salon, Kolkata in September, 2007.

•A group show at Domas art Gallery, Kolkata in December, 2007.

•A group show at Gaganendra Pradarshashala, Information Centre, Kolkata in March, 2008.

•A group show at Jorasanko Thakurbari, Kolkata, organized by State Academy in April, 2008.

•A group show at Shreemati Art Gallery, Kolkata, in June, 2008.

•A group show “Aranya” organized by RAD (Reflection of Another Day) at Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Kolkata, from 2nd September, 2008.

•A group show at Pegasus Art Gallery, Hyderabad, in September, 2008.

•An Art Fair at Academy of Fine Arts, in association with a group named MAC, Kolkata, in December, 2008.

•A sponsored group show at Chitrakala Parishat, in association with a group named MAC, Bangalore, in January, 2009.


PUBLICATION

•Art review on Zen Dance (presented by Sun Och Lee, a Korean Zen Dancer at Gallery Akar-Prakar in a preview show of paintings by eminent Artist Ganesh Haloi) for India Today Bangla Magazine for its 16th April, 2007 issue.

•Art review on a preview show of photography by Mala Mukherjee for India Today Bangla Magazine for its 21st May, 2007 issue.

•Art review on a preview show of paintings by Chandana Hore for India Today Bangla Magazine for its 4th June, 2007 issue.

•Review on the first ever programme on “Painting in Night Clubs in India”,organized by Reflection of Another Day (RAD) and Changwa Bar, for India Today Bangla Magazine for its 9th July, 2007 issue.

•Review on the paintings of Badrinarayan for “Photography Charcha” -a bengla magazine for its October, 2008 “Sharodia” issue.

Instrumental n Vocal Classical music... Indian, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Bengali, Hindi old melodies n recent film songs.Title tracks of most of the bengali serials. Ghazals, sufi etc..

Mandi, Taare Zameen Par, Black, Shabd, Mirch Masala, Titanic, Face off, True Lies, The Trueman Show, What Dreams May Come, Anuraager Chhowa, Basanta Bilaap, Bhanu Goyenda Jahar Assistant, Jomaloye Jibonto maanushKhela, Gupi-Bagha Series, Feluda Series..... AARO ACHHE... short films n documentery films.... etc

Tv serials based on family values n Social Problems, Ekhane Aakash Neel, I Laugh U, Reality shows on every channel on dance n music, Jassuben Jayantilaal Ki Joint Family, Main Teri Parchhayee Hoon, Aaja Nach le With Saroj Khan, Tom n Jerry, Doremon, Neer Vanga Jhor, Valika Vadhoo etc..

Books on art, positivism, Comics, bengali literature....... Depends On My Mood n Work

When people get hurted or fall down or meet with some unexpected circumstances, they get concentrated to make themselves in a new way. Through this process they find as their actual "Being". ----------------------Rabindranath Tagore.