Discover sand and beyond in Sudarshan Pattnaik’s exhibition in Kolkata

In the world of art, Sudarshan Pattnaik needs no introduction. Take his name and his viral sand sculpture creations come flashing in front of you. But this time, Pattnaik brings to the art lovers, a more intellectual facet of his work through large canvas paintings, albeit upholding his love for the sand and the cause of environmentalism. Curated by Uma Ray, and named ‘Sand and Beyond | Recent Works’ it is an exhibition worth visiting to discover the artist and his creativity closely.

What makes Sudarshan Pattnaik’s Sand and Beyond in Kolkata such a special exhibition?

Curator Uma Ray mentions that Pattnaik is no stranger to the gallery. “We had exhibited Sudarshan Pattnaik’s works several decades back. He had built a huge sand art sculpture in our lawns. However, this time, it feels like coming full circle with a new body of work, which reveals another facet of him that people are not as familiar with. These are a body of works which he developed in the last five years.”

She continues to describe these canvases of mixed-media art as one that “incorporates a lot of sand which remains one of the primary materials. But he has also juxtaposed cloth, plastic and everything. In the centre of which there is a sense of duality. His concerns are deeply rooted in the preservation and conservation of the environment.”

Distinct Interpretations

One glance at the gallery and the hanging artworks would present to you many different things going on at the same time, although the works look very neat and simplistic.

First, one can see two distinct themes forming in the gallery. While one is about mythological characters like Ganesh, Shiva and Parvati; the other is his strong vocalisation through art regarding the man-nature relationship and how nature is almost losing its soul day by day. Keeping the Earth and Seaside as central focus of the canvases, he creates a dialogue, much needed but more importantly one whose call to action should be heard and acted upon, before it’s too late.

Second, the use of different materials besides sand, like cartons, plastics, tissues, not only gives a 3-D effect but also primarily enhances the texture. It breaks the monotony of acrylics and makes the artworks more interactive and life-like.

Third, the painting techniques and colours themselves complement the theme and the narrative within each canvas. From brushstrokes to firm outlines and clear abstractions, one look at the name of the work reveals the reason for their usage.

Pattnaik mentions, “My artistic journey started off with drawing and painting. However, I grabbed onto the beach as my canvas since I struggled to get my hands into colours and paints. But tides turned, and for quite some time, my followers and well-wishers have been asking how to keep a part of my art with them, since it was not possible to keep sand sculptures. That was the inception point of this jugalbandi, where the life with which I started off and my life today are both fused. These artworks would remind them of sand and colour, both and they can keep a part of it in their houses. These canvases also reflect my primary social messages like nature, climate change etc.”

When colours speak

Moreover, colours play an important part in presenting the artist’s thought process to the audience. In ‘Fluid Horizons’, the fluidity of the waterscape or nature is depicted through abstracts, using different shades of blue. The ‘Circle of Life’ almost forms two circles – one colourful and attractive, the other very earthy; giving a clear vision of how colourful life may be one would ultimately return to the muted and rustic Earth from where one emerged. Another interesting work, ‘The Last Breath’ depicts a fish from whose mouth once can interpret the soul leaving; and the ‘Cycle of Destruction’ with a bull having plastics inside its stomach reflects on the harsh reality of the man-nature cycle.

What: Sand and Beyond by Sudarshan Pattnaik

Where: Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata

When: till Oct 19, 2025

Timings: 3 pm – 8 pm

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