Sanjay Kumar’s creation Buddha Viksha Patra installed in Mumbai

Patna, March 24: You can call him a rich man’s artist. His work in Mukesh Ambani’s dream house Antilia in Mumbai fetched him Rs 86 lakh and the bosses of Aditya Birla Group installed a sculpture by him for which he was paid Rs 1.25 crore.

But ace artist Sanjay Kumar refuses to forget his humble beginnings. In the state capital for his seven-day-long art camp at College of Arts and Crafts, Patna, Sanjay told The Telegraph: “Artists from Bihar and Jharkhand do not lack talent. But in the absence of opportunities, they lag behind artists of other states.”

Sambhavna 3, Sanjay’s art camp, will attract noted artists both from Bihar and the rest of the country. But the artists will not be paid an honorarium for their work — participation is voluntary. Sanjay, who is one of the major contributors behind the camp, has also given a machine press to the college. He has been working on a series of statues of Buddha for the past 10 years.

“The work that I installed at Mukesh Ambani’s house is a part of the Buddha series. Named the Buddha Vikhsa Patra, it is single composition comprising three pieces of 5ft diameter each. It is made of fibre,” said the artist.

Sanjay Kumar in Patna. Picture by Ashok Sinha

A roommate and classmate of noted installation artist, Subodh Gupta, Sanjay’s story is one of rags to riches. While Gupta struggled in Delhi, Sanjay burnt the midnight oil in Mumbai. Patna-based artist Ananjay spoke about Sanjay’s struggle. “After graduating from the College of Arts and Crafts, Patna, in 1988, Sanjay was awarded a research grant by Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi, in 1992-93 and a MHRD junior fellowship for 1995-97.”

But the days of the struggle are over. Now he brushes shoulders with the who’s who of Mumbai society. Among his patrons are not only the Ambanis and Birlas but also Bollywood actors like Sushmita Sen, Sridevi and Suniel Shetty. He has had numerous solo exhibitions at Nehru Centre, Jehangir Art Gallery and Tao Art Gallery in Mumbai. His works have also been displayed at group shows like Regional Art Exhibitions in Lucknow in 1989 and Contemporary Artists of Bihar at Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, in 1989-90.

Sanjay praised the state government for installing art works in the Bihar Divas function. “However, a lot remains to be done,” he added.