For Sayanee Sarkar, the journey is more important than the goal. She enjoys the process of being in the present and not thinking about the future. The Siliguri-born artist’s solo exhibition ‘Alchemy of Absolute Intimacy’ at Emami Art speaks of her universe that feels complete in lines that look incomplete, in forms that feel shadowy and in a setting that oscillates between abstraction and figuration. “I try to blend the background and foreground as my canvas nears the edge of figuration and abstraction. At times I feel like an abstract artist and at other times like an abstract expressionist,” shared Sarkar, who is highly influenced by American abstract expressionists.
Currently based out of Baroda, the alumna of Indian College of Arts and Draftsmanship, Calcutta, and Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda, Sarkar wants the viewer to participate with her artwork and not just have a fleeting glance. And that’s exactly what happens when her abstract artwork starts taking forms, and the smudged edges give way to an intimate narrative, as the viewer gets closer to her canvas and spends more time. With her loose brush work, she captures light and atmosphere in mostly muted tones of monochrome and tells stories of intimacy, femininity, and vulnerability. She forms a connection with the raw surface of the canvas and blends in with the natural process of absorption, keeping her techniques sturdy.
“Sayanee Sarkar’s painterly language is shaped by a quiet but persistent sensitivity to surface and touch. She often refers to the raw canvas as the ‘skin’ of the work; a ground that absorbs, holds, and at times resists the gesture. Working with delicate washes alongside sudden impasto, she allows forms to arrive gradually, almost as if they are being felt into being rather than fully rendered. Her brushwork shifts between hesitation and assertion, between transparency and density, keeping the image slightly unsettled. It is within this shifting, tactile space that intimacy begins to take form,” praised Ushmita Sahu, director and head curator, Emami Art, who has watched Sarker closely.
On display till July 10, ‘Alchemy of Absolute Intimacy’ also features smaller works alongside the large canvases that are usually presented as diptychs and triptychs. Sarkar has already participated in a few group shows in the city, including at Emami Art and with a growing repertoire, she is steadily progressing in the list of contemporary Indian artists whose work transcends physical boundaries faster.
“As one of the most promising young contemporary artists of her generation, Sayanee has consistently demonstrated a rare depth of vision, sensitivity, and creative rigour. We have featured her work in our presentations at leading art fairs and group exhibitions over the past year, where her practice has drawn meaningful attention from critics and collectors alike,” said Richa Agarwal, CEO of Emami Art, recalling Sayanee as the third award winner of 2024 annual open call, Imaginarium that is supported by the Emami Foundation and the Kolkata Centre for Creativity.