Sakti Burman's world

By his blend of complementary colours, varied textures and decorative details, the artist holds out a dream world of harmony, a world free of conflict and an abode of abiding peace. The viewer, turning away from today's world of conflict and violence, feels assured of peace and happiness in the world of Burman's paintings, writes PARITOSH SEN.

Exuding a feeling of contentment... "Untitled", water colour on paper.

ART lovers, both in India and abroad, are sure to be familiar with the works of Sakti Burman. For over four decades now, this artist has lived with his family in Paris where his life as a painter has struck deep roots. He has not, however, lost touch with his own country, often visiting India to exhibit his works in Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata.

Sakti Burman was born in Kolkata but spent his early life in rural East Bengal (now Bangladesh). The beauty of the landscape and colourful social and religious festivals fascinated him and left a deep impression on his sensitive mind. That was the time, perhaps, when the artist in him was born — the trees, the birds and the animals; the flowers; the open water bodies and the boats, the flutists and drummer boys — all the essence of his images.

Reality meets and mingles with the world of his dreams. Though realism surfaces in his paintings, he returns to the dream world time and again. After graduating from the Government Art College in Calcutta, he arrived in Paris on a French Government scholarship. He had his first exhibition there when he was still training as a painter. Apart from Europe and America he has also exhibited in Japan.

"My childhood memories are always there, mixed up with the realities of the day. In creative art, the role of memory is a recognised fact. But in my case, that of a painter working in a foreign city a vast distance away from his native milieu, memory is doubly potent in sustaining the creative life," he says.

These words encapsulate the key to the mystique of his creativity as a painter. His earlier paintings to the latest sport this fusion of the world of reality and imagination, especially his dream world. The style and technique he has honed over the year to project this world of his vision is entirely his own and may even be claimed to be original.

We first come across marbelising in the Deccani water colours of the 17th Century, during the reign of Muhammad Adit Shah of Bijapur. Marbelising in oil, had never been attempted before Sakti Burman, and is a unique technique of his. He has polished and perfected it to such a level of sophistication that few may find it easy to master. Its countless details, subtle and minute, amaze viewers but engage them even more.

"Conversation", oil on canvas, 2003

After graduating from Paris, Burman returned to India to renew his acquaintance with the tradition of the art and the culture of his native land. He visited Ajanta, Ellora, Amaravati and Konark. With a sense of wonder he took a fresh look at the sculptures and murals by our classical masters, illustrating legends and lore; the myths and the life of the Buddha. Among the many things he admired in them he was particularly fascinated by a single motif that recurs frequently in his paintings of the period; the Buddhist motif of Queen Mahamaya's (Mother of Gotama, the Buddha) dream of a white elephant. There is a remarkable influence of our classical sculpture and painting in the forms and space division of the canvases he painted in the early 1960s such as "Bodhisatva", "Tree of Knowledge", "Dream" and "Dream of Maya". He did all these paintings after he returned to Paris, with refreshed knowledge of his native heritage. Here we must recall a fact of great importance.

Even though he has lived in Paris for over five decades he has never been out of touch with the Indian heritage. (I am told that he still holds his Indian passport.) In the works of his early years in Paris one may spot the influence of some of Europe's modern masters. But it did not last for long.

From the early 1960s there began to emerge in his works a style and ideas bearing a distinct identity of his own. Add to this a decorative flavour that his paintings are inclined to sport.

At first human figures dominated his imagery. Later, a range of forms and figures came to crowd his canvases — trees, animals, boats, men and women, clowns and children. We may also catch an occasional glimpse of the artist himself. Canvases evoke sometimes interiors, sometimes outdoor scenes where we meet plenty of erotic female nudes and also many child-like figures. The result is a homely and peaceful ambience in the pictures, which exudes a feeling of contentment for the viewer.

In a word the virtuoso painter Sakti Burman by his blend of complementary colours, varied textures and decorative details holds out to us a dream world of harmony, a world free of conflicts and an abode of abiding peace, ensuring the enjoyment of a healthy and fulfilled life.

The style and composition of many of his paintings may remind one of French tapestry. The viewer, turning away from today's world of conflict and violence, feels assured of peace and happiness in the world of his paintings. That is the main reason for his popularity as a painter. His works are now in many private and public collections in India and abroad and will no doubt continue to grace many more such collections in future, too.

It is sometimes said that Sakti Burman's paintings are illustrative. That may be partly true but it does not detract from a thorough aesthetic appreciation of his works. This is no mean achievement.

Sakti Burman's recent works were exhibited by the Apparao Galleries at Gallery 27 in London.

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