Structures: solo show by Somenath maity

Dr. Ved Prakash Bhardwaj

I got the opportunity to see Somenath Maity's paintings for the first time in 2015 at the Visual Art Gallery in Delhi. Before that I had seen some of his works in group exhibitions and on Facebook, but a solo exhibition is the most appropriate opportunity to know and understand an artist. At the very first time, it felt as if the unfolding or rather dissolving forms of the architecture of urban civilization bound in colours had appeared like a mystery. And today, after about ten years, I met his art once again in the same Visual Art Gallery. It was like meeting an old friend. One pleasant thing about this experience was that this time I got the opportunity to see his sculptures which he has displayed for the first time.

The exhibition title, Structures, captures a central theme of Somenath Maity's artistic evolution and resonates deeply with his four-decade-long journey. His shift from experimentation to embracing urban structures as symbols of civilization marks a significant phase in his artistic expression. Instead of depicting these grand buildings realistically, Somenath filters them through an abstract lens, highlighting their symbolic essence rather than their physical form.

Another notable thing about Somenath's paintings is that most of his canvas is covered with such structures that when viewed separately, they give the impression of a complete painting. Viewing his painting as a whole is a different experience, but there are many of his paintings that give a complete and different experience when viewed in just one part of them.

His experience of moving from a small village in Bengal to the bustling metropolis of Kolkata appears to have profoundly shaped his artistic perspective. The contrast between the crowded human existence and the imposing, sometimes overwhelming, concrete architecture of the city deeply influences his work. The city, which he calls a "jungle of people and concrete buildings," becomes a source of inspiration for exploring the paradoxes of urban life—its beauty, alienation, chaos, and harmony.

In his paintings, Somenath translates these observations into a visual language that abstracts the forms of buildings, weaving together geometric and organic elements to express the energy, contradictions, and fluidity of city life. The tension between structure and chaos, solidity and movement, runs through his work, giving it a distinctive visual appeal that invites viewers to engage with the complexities of modern urban existence. This approach likely allows him to express not just the physical architecture of the city but the emotional and psychological landscapes that urban living creates.

Somenath's emphasis on the interplay of colours and strokes in his abstract depictions of urban structures adds a dynamic layer to his exploration of Kolkata's cityscape. By focusing on these elements, he transforms the solid, often rigid forms of buildings into fluid, expressive compositions. The strokes likely mirror the energy and movement of city life, while the colors reflect the contrasts and moods he observes in the urban environment.

The fluidity of his strokes may capture the tension between the order of architectural structures and the chaotic flow of human life within the city. Colours, in turn, could represent the emotional and visual contradictions of Kolkata—vibrant and lively on one hand, overwhelming and imposing on the other. Through this approach, Somenath communicates the complexities of modern life without relying on literal representation, using abstraction as a means of evoking both the beauty and dissonance he perceives in urban spaces.

This focus on colours and strokes must give his work a rhythmic, almost musical quality, where the buildings are more than static forms—they pulse with life, just like the city itself. Somenath's colour palette has also changed a bit lately. Green and blue sky with their mysterious atmosphere is still present in many paintings. Deep blue and green sky is found in very few artists' works. Along with this, the use of dark brown and black along with other light colours makes the painting attractive. He records the presence of light in his art in a different way which is often seen through contrasting colours or the transparency of the same colour as a light tone. Somenath works with a spatula but he also uses other tools for texture. All the forms he has are in abstract style, like a solid opaque element. Only here and there, a glimpse of light is seen in them or there is a group of colours which seems to be communicating with each other or giving a sense of a kind of social relationship with each other. Behind this are his childhood memories of the village and the noisy life of Kolkata which records a kind of contradiction.

Somenath's artistic process is deeply intertwined with the fluidity and rhythm of colours. His mastery in blending vibrant hues suggests a dynamic interplay where colours are not just static elements but are alive, merging, separating, and creating lyrical compositions. The way he allows tones to emerge and dissolve gives the impression of movement, almost like a dance on the canvas. Each stroke seems to capture the maximum emotional and visual impact of colour, making his work feel alive and pulsating with energy. His technique must create a mesmerizing visual rhythm, where colours aren't just visual but almost auditory in their lyrical harmony Somenath's sculptures, with their monumental quality and fluidity, seem to embody a unique blend of solidity and movement, offering a dynamic presence that captivates viewers. The idea of liquidity in sculpture suggests that his forms are not rigid but appear to flow, almost as if they are caught in a moment of transformation or emergence. This sense of movement could evoke an emotional or narrative depth, giving the sculptures a life-like quality. By deeply connecting his sculptural forms with cultural and mythological references, Somenath appears to be channelling a rich heritage into his work, grounding his contemporary expressions in timeless stories and symbols. The monumental nature of the pieces, combined with the fluid forms, likely conveys the enduring influence of mythology while reinterpreting it for the modern viewer. This blend of tradition and modernity could make his sculptures both striking in scale and profound in meaning.