Playing with textures is his passion, and creating
artworks in harmony with nature is now his profession. There is one thing
Sanatan Saha, a Santiniketan-based artist hailing from the interiors of West
Bengal, ardently believes in. “For me, there is nothing called a ‘masterpiece’.
There will never be a time when I feel I have created the best work of my life.
I will always want to improve myself, each time I paint,” Sanatan asserted.
“There are no artists in my family, nor did I know
about taking up art as a profession when I was young,” recalled Sanatan as he spoke
of his earlier days, and how he finally decided to become a full-time artist.
“As far as I remember, I have always loved to paint. However, when I first came
to Santiniketan, I took a two-year course in designing as I was unaware about pursuing
art on a professional level. But those two years in the haven of art, and
exposure to the world outside the bounds of my village were enough to make me
realise that it was art I wanted to make my career in, and not any conventional
job,” he said.
Sanatan’s works are centred on the textural variety
found in nature. Showcasing a magnificent display of textural density and
visual complexity, he loves to play with the variety of textural elements in
nature, like trees, soil, mud, and so on. “Since my early days as an artist, I
started experimenting with textures. I try to include as many aspects of nature
as possible in my paintings. If you observe my paintings, you will find them
busy with several images. One painting has got a variety of interpretations.
The way you see it today, may not be the same tomorrow,” Sanatan stated. His
fascination for these textures can be traced back to his childhood in his
village. He almost obsessively and compulsively peruses the demarcations of
nature. His paintings are amalgamations of the concrete and the ephemeral. Use
of geometric patterns is a part of the unique style that he has adopted, and
symbolic references also gently raise their heads amidst this textural
complexity.
As he spoke about his career as an artist,
Sanatan mentioned that it was after his solo exhibition at Aicon Gallery, New
York, that he started gaining recognition for his works back in India. He added,
“The great feedback that I got in New York, from the critics as well as art
lovers there, inspired me to get more creative. In India, we receive a similar
kind of encouragement, but only once we are established. Here people are scared
to invest in new artists. It was after I exhibited my paintings abroad that I
got offers for solo exhibitions in India.”
One could see the love Sanatan has towards
Santiniketan, the place that formed and encouraged the artist in him, as he
fondly spoke about the place: “Santiniketan is one of the best educational
campuses in our country. We have several good artists as teachers there. The
place is lauded with the ultimate beauty of nature, as it’s the primary source
of inspiration for almost any artist out there. It’s like a village of art.”
However, he asserted that though Santiniketan is the best for learning, it is the
outside world that gives you real experience as an artist.
Sanatan had a clear message for young artists. “I
always tell any youngster who comes to me that you will have to go through a
lot of struggle. Success won’t come easy and quick. It might take years. But
you have to be honest and patient. Just believe in yourself and keep working,”
he concluded firmly.
‘Textural
Blueprints’ an exhibition of 34 paintings by Sanatan Saha at Gallery Gitanjali,
Panjim, will be open till November 15, 2016