The hilly landscape of Agartala, animals, tribal culture, and colour are the main subjects of Joydeep Bhattacharjee’s work who uses nature as a prominent motif
TEXT: TEAM ART SOUL LIFE
Nature has always been a great inspiration to artists – from cave drawings of animals, to contemporary artists working today. Artists have depicted nature as a setting to express their inner feelings, forever changing the face of art. As famed impressionist artist Paul Cezanne stated, “Painting from nature is not copying the object; it is realising one’s sensations. Treat nature in terms of the cylinder, the sphere, the cone, everything in proper perspective.” Joydeep Bhattacharjee, a seasoned artist from Agartala, the capital of Tripura, is one such creative soul, who is a science graduate, but he did his Masters in Fine Arts and presently teaches Painting at the Government Art College, Agartala. Nature is used as a prominent motif in the artwork of Bhattacharjee, who speaks through ink, charcoal and acrylic paints. “Nature is composed of so many little ingredients. The interaction between different beings, and the eternal cycle of creation and destruction is my inspirational force,” he says. “I was brought up in Tripura, and the hilly landscapes there, the flurry of activities, the amalgamation of tribal and nontribal cultures, both influenced by modern lifestyle – all these elements form the backdrop of my art.” He says There are many different ways to approach the subject of nature in art and it can open our eyes to the intricacy and beauty of the natural world. It can simply be a pretty picture that appreciates nature for what it is… or it can be a challenging piece expressing our complex human connection to nature. Art can serve a purpose beyond being an object of beauty: it can also address pressing environmental issues and topics about conservation, sustainability, preservation, biodiversity, and threatened habitats. Art has the ability to interact with and educate the viewer about these issues, spreading awareness about such important topics. We feel an instinctual need to take care of the things we feel connected to. Art can help renew, or spark anew, our connection with nature. “Tripura is a small hill state in the North East surrounded by Assam and Bangladesh and its natural beauty always inspires him to draw and paint. Its hilly landscape, animals, tribal culture, colour are the main subjects of my work,” he says. A God-fearing man, you’ll also come across the presence of the Almighty as the creator of the world in his art. “I believe folk culture is the best reflection of purity and simplicity and it often finds itself as a prominent theme on my canvas. I mostly work with reds and blues,” he adds.
For Bhattacharjee, art is the way to live and something for which he can compromise with everything in his life. “Art is something which has been a very critical part of my life from a very young age. I was inspired by my grandfather Nani Gopal Ray, who was also an artist. Art is like my soulmate, which is as close to me as my parents with whom I can share every emotion of mine,” he says. In these hyperreal, digital times, it is easy to forget, and even resist, that we are susceptible to natural forces. Art can help us become more conscious of our true relationship with nature. It is undoubtedly important to feel a connection to the natural world… in fact, it is vital to our survival! The first step to creating art based on nature is to spend time in nature. So, unplug yourself. Turn off your screens. Go outside. Tune into your surroundings. Feel the wind upon your cheek. Observe the veins of a leaf, sit against the trunk of a tree, watch a river flow.
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