In a Zen state of mind

There is so much to learn from nature – from the gloriously powerful seas to the silent woods – humans have so much to take away from everything that surrounds us. For an artist like Satish Gupta, a renowned painter, sculptor, poet, writer, printmaker, muralist, designer and calligrapher, the inspiration for his works often comes from his deep engagement with mysticism and Zen spirit that’s scattered in the wild nature. His latest show titled ‘Roaring Sea - Still Mind’ is a collection of paintings, sculptures, Zen calligraphy, Haikus (Japanese short poems) and revelations that revolves around his personal experiences with the mystical nature.

The artworks for this show are inspired by the artist’s personal intense experiences that he explored at the Normandy beach in France. Speaking about the story behind the artworks, Satish mentions, “I went to the same spot to paint with my friend who drove me there. As I started sketching, the sea became very, very rough and stormy. I was deeply involved in my drawing when I noticed my friend sitting cross-legged on the beach and facing the furious waves. This was a very Zen moment.”

The upcoming exhibition will feature 13 sculptures, 10 collages, 15 large paintings, and about 125 drawings and calligraphic works along with haikus. The different sections will feature some of his grand works titled ‘Conference of the Birds’, ‘The Cosmic Wave’ and ‘The Wings of Eternity’. The artist mentions, “The show will have eight sculptures including kinetic ones and over a hundred small and big paintings and haikus. It has taken a long, long time to develop in my mind, which I have been able to express creatively only now. Calligraphy to me is the ultimate form of creativity; it comes after years and years of practice, where the mind, body, soul and the ink in the brush become one.  I don’t follow that rigidly but go more with the spirit of the haiku. They are more about what is unsaid rather than what is said, they are only suggestions where the reader completes the thought. They are like windows for meditation.”

The artist got his formal art training at College of Art in Delhi and then at Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, but he claims that he learns from life every moment. Speaking about his artistic influences, he says, “With my exhibitions, I like to take the viewer along with me and share my mind- space. Right now I am working on the ‘Five Elements’ and how they govern everything in our life. I am very concerned about global warming and my works express that. My works are about a man living with nature in harmony.” Although one might say that these are very interesting times for artists to experiment with, the onus of telling the story and reaching out the right audience still looks like an uphill task. Talking about constructive censorship for artists, Satish sums up, “I feel that as an artist one has to be careful that the freedom of expression is never compromised. An artist is the conscience of society and as such he has a tremendous responsibility to speak the truth.” (The exhibition will be on for the viewers at the Visual Art Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi from 20th January to 3rd February 2019.)