Draft:Santanu Nandan Dinda

Santanu Nandan Dinda, a contemporary artist from Jharkhand. Drawing is the life and soul of a painting. Santanu Nandan Dinda, born in 1966 is a contemporary artist from Jamshedpur, Jharkhand. His paintings are a dream-like imagination of a culturally vibrant India executed through his humbled forms, bold lines, and exuberant color palette. Hailing from a small village, Santanu grew up in an environment surrounded by nature, townships and families. Villages in India are a plethora of emotions, often romanticized by urban dwellers and popular media, however, Santanu in his paintings portray a rather shy echo from these villages that meticulously come together to propagate harmony for its viewers.

I used to visit the villages around the steel city Jamshedpur and I have even visited once or twice my native village in West Bengal.

Early Cultural Impressions

Culture, worship, and devotion harbor in every nook and corner of India. In fact, India's diverse regions and cultures are connected by a rich cultural fabric that is exemplified by the art of idol-making. It acts as a material embodiment of spirituality, artistic talent, and enduring community ties. This tradition left a strong and deep impact in the heart of a child which manifested his journey towards being an artist.

Walking through the streets of Jamshedpur, I would observe the artists and sculptors making idols of Goddess Durga for the annual celebration of Durga pooja and I would just stand there for hours observing them at work. I would then go home and recreate a smaller version of that idol.

Recreating these idols with his cousins became Santanu’s favorite pastime which slowly drew him towards the mythological stories and echoes of devotion. Artisan workshops used primarily tools available in the environment like bamboo sticks, clay, mud, glue, natural colors from flowers and leaves etc. These idols weren’t just simple sculptures; they represented hope and ideals of the society. For a child, all this is amusing and exciting, as it opens infinite possibilities of creation. This enthusiasm tapped in a lot of questions for young Santanu, ‘ What is painting? What are colors and how do we make art?’ These questions found an outlet in drawing classes within school through encouragement by teachers and appreciation by fellow colleagues. This led to his enrollment in an art school.

Art School & Science School

Art is science and Science is an art! If we look closely enough, we might see how art and science are both attempts of humanity to understand and describe the world around us. However, science is recognized as a noble pursuit with financial stability by societies and art as a mere hobby. Troubled by the society norms, Santanu’s family insisted him to pursue science along with his arts degree. In 1983, he enrolled in Bachelors in Science (Hons.) and Diploma in Fine Arts from Tagore School of Arts & Craft, Jamshedpur. Post his graduation, he got a campus placement in a research center and pursued his science degree to support his family and simultaneously pursued his diploma. In 1990, to support his own vision and passion he started teaching fine arts at his own alma mater (1990 – 2008). From 1990 till 2008, I was teaching my students fundamental and essence of art and simultaneously strengthening my base. Every master artist has a strong base line to fall on and this period marked mine. Post -1996, Santanu Nandan Dinda started exhibiting his own paintings and the first exhibition he participated in was an annual show by Group Graphia in Jamshedpur.

An impression of rustic India

The city of Jamshedpur in Jharkhand has a relatively calm non-metro environment. It’s quite clean, organized and populated with green lands and it’s a home to mix cultures from all over the country. In fact, tribals constitute around 28% of the total population, covering a major part of Jamshedpur. Tribal communities often engage in indigenous folk art forms known as Warli. They would decorate the walls and floor of their home with simple line and shape motifs. Since Santanu Nandan Dinda’s home was near these areas, he developed a soft corner and inclination towards folk forms of art. While reminiscing a fond incidence from childhood, he says In my childhood, we used to visit our native village once or twice in an year. During the day time ‘Patua’ (Pattachitra artist) used to come and sing songs after unfurling his Pattachitra scroll. Pattachitra is a traditional folk art associated with Orissa and West Bengal. Santanu’s works have strong inclinations towards folk artforms of India especially the ones that are intertwined with his childhood memories.

Picasso Influence

My mother said to me, ‘If you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, you will become the pope.’ Instead, I was a painter and I became Picasso. - Pablo Picasso Pablo Picasso (1881 - 1973) was an artistic genius. He influenced the development of modern and contemporary art with unparalleled magnitude. Almost all artists study him and his style for inspiration, research or just for the sake of pure bliss. For Santanu Nandan Dinda, Picasso’s vibrant forms and strong bold lines attracted him towards his works. Even while looking at the works of this modernist master, Santanu found resemblance and similarities with Indian folk forms. For me, Picasso’s cubism and Mattise’s expressionism are European regional modern art. Strongly manifesting and believing in Picasso's philosophy towards art which first involved a sincere approach towards learning all the proportions and forms and then breaking it for development of g individual styles. He preaches the same to his students. In his tribute to the master artist, he painted ‘Lady on a Red Chair’

Early pioneers of Indian modern art like Abaindranath Tagore, Jamini Roy, A.R Chughtai etc. also inspired him.

MONTAGE

Montage is an artist group co-founded by Santanu Nandan Dinda with his wife Sunita Nandan Dinda in the year 2005. It is a group of visual artists from the city of Jamshedpur to further the cause of art, exhibitions and the joy of creating. This group planned 4 exhibitions and 3 camps every year giving an opportunity and hope to everyone involved. In the year 2006 TATA group collaborated with the group for an art camp.

Painting for pleasure

The meaning of art is very simple for me. It expresses my own feeling’s, It’s not about what other people think or don’t. The artist takes pride in not indulging in commercial works. In fact, he is very clear about his approach towards painting and art; his paintings are very much centered towards his own expression and happiness. He feels that whenever someone buys his painting, they should feel a sense of happiness and positivity flowing in their homes or space.

I paint as if I am putting life into it and the only way to do it, is if you do it for yourself!

Compositions & Style

The protagonist in Santanu’s paintings is a woman. Most of his paintings demonstrates different moods and preferences of women in their day-to-day activities; sometimes cheerful, sometimes sad and sometimes just lost in her own thoughts. In few paintings that woman is accompanied by either a cat or a fish. The artist intervenes in his own painting through these animals.

But why women?

I hold the female gender in high regards. Since my childhood I have observed and felt to my core that women are more hard working. From Devi pooja to everyday field work, they excel in all. So, when it was time for me to express myself, there was no other form I could think of.

A Brush of Change

Change is the only constant!

In the year 2008, Santanu Nandan Dinda and his family moved to Gujarat for a better job opportunity and financial stability. He was appointed as the head of Chemical & Physical Laboratory. Carrying the impressions and love from Jamshedpur, he found himself in a new city with new challenges and social circles. He started working as an Applied Arts teacher at Tapovan International (2016) School, Mehsana, Gujarat and continued to do so till 2020.

The COVID wave, India in 2020 changed many lives all across the country and world. With people losing jobs, livelihoods and loved ones, it triggered an urgent sense to embrace life as it is in the present. Post COVID, Santanu Nandan Dinda left his job and dived full time as a freelance artist.

Presently, he works as an artist full time and from time to time dedicates his guidance to young kids in need. His morning routine starts with a walk-in nature followed by work and family time and back to work.

Exhibitions and Camps

Exhibitions: • Open - air exhibition at Rabindra Bhavan,, Jamshedpur, 1990 • 1st Annual Exhibition by Group Graphia,, Jamshedpur, 1996 • Annual show, Rabindra Bhavan,, Jamshedpur, 2003 • British Library, Ranchi, 2003 • Jamshedpur School of Art, Jamshedpur, 2003 • Tagore Society, Telco, Jamshedpur, 2004 • Nikhil Bharat Banga Sahitya Sammelan,, Jamshedpur, 2004 • Group show, Samanvai art gallery, Jaipur, 2005 • Group show, Rastriya Lalit Kala Kendra, Bhubaneswar, 2005 • ASCENT OF ART- Annual show of contemporary paintings & Sculptures, Samanvai art gallery, Jaipur, 2006 • Group show, ORCHID art gallery, Jamshedpur, 2007 • Exhibition of 34 contemporary paintings, Organised by Samanvai art gallery, Jaipur at NCPA, Mumbai, 2007 • Group show Organised by INFAC at Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, 2008 • VERSE ON CANVAS, a group exhibition of paintings at Academy Of Fine Arts, Kolkata 2010 • Group Show Organised by MONTAGE, a group of Visual Artists of Jamshedpur at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, April 2010 • MYSTIC COLOURS, an exhibition of paintings at Agrasen Bhavan, Gandhidham, Kutchh, Gujarat, India February 2011. • INDIANNESS, an exhibition of paintings at Chitramayee State Gallery of Fine Arts, Hyderabad, April 2012 • Group Exhibition at Renaissance Gallerie, Bangalore, May 2012 • Group Exhibition at Cymroza Art Gallerie, Mumbai, June 2012 • Exhibition of paintings at 'OFF THE WALL' art gallery, Jamshedpur from 22nd Feb'14 • Exhibition of paintings "Raja Ravi Verma Adaranjali" at Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal, 29th April to 4th May 2014 Organised by Artists Guild of M. P & Dainik Bhaskar • Group Exhibition at Acharya Nandalal Bose Gallery, Jamshedpur, December2014 • Group show at Mecon Colony, Ranchi from 17th to 27th Feb'15 • Group Show at Jaipur Art Summit, 2016, Jaipur • Vividhta mein Ekta', a group show organised by Samanvai Art Gallery, Jaipur, 13th to 26th August 2017 • 2nd National Art Icons Exhibition at AIFACS, New Delhi, 30th June to 3rd July 2017 • National Exhibition of MINI-ARTWORK 2017, 1st to 9th October’17 at Canarys Art Gallery, Indore, India • ‘Art Revolution Taipei’, an international exhibition of paintings, Taipei, Taiwan, May 2018 • ‘Mini is beautiful’, a group exhibition at Pt. Bhimsen Joshi Kaladalan, Pune from 1st to 3rd March 2019 • ‘Kalakriti’, a group exhibition at D D Neroy Gallery, Mumbai from 16th to 25th Sept 2019 • ‘Multiple Emotion’, a group exhibition of paintings & sculptures at Avari Hotel, Deira, Dubai from 28th September to 2nd October 2019 • FINEXT AWARDS & International Exhibition of Mini Art Works at Devlalikar Kala Vithika, Indore from 3rd to 6th January 2020 • 2nd National Online Painting Exhibition organized by Vihar Lalit Kala Shikshak Sangh from 21 to 30th October 2020 • Awadh Art Festival at Visual Art Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi from 21st to 28th February 2022 • ‘The Art Fair 2022’ at Ahmedabad, Gujarat from 15th to 18th December 2022 • ‘Amdbaad Art Mela 2023’ at Ahmedabad, Gujarat from 27th to 29th October 2023 • ‘In Search Of Indianness’, an exhibition of paintings at The Open Palm Court Art Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi from 24th to 28th April 2024

Workshops & Camps: • Aambagan, Ranchi, 1991 • Jamshedpur School of Art, Kadma, Jamshedpur, 2002 • National art camp-PALASH, Ranchi, 2000 & 2002 • Autumn & Durga Puja, Circuit House Area, Jamshedpur, 2003 • National Spring Art Camp, Jamshedpur, 2005 • Summer camp on Art & craft, Jamshedpur, 2005 • National Spring Art Camp, Jamshedpur, 2006 • KALA-YATRA, Organized by Deptt. of Art & Culture, Sports & Youth Affairs, Govt. of Jharkhand & CARDS, Chaibasa, Jharkhand, 2006 • COLOURS’06, Jamshedpur School of Art, Kadma, Jamshedpur • National Spring Art Camp 2007, Jamshedpur • KALAKRITI-2007, National Summer Art Camp, Organised by Janhit Kala Sansthan & BSL, Bokaro, 2007 • COLOURS’07, Jamshedpur School of Art, Kadma, Jamshedpur • Art Workshop organized by INFAC at AIKATAAN, Salt Lake, Kolkata • 3rd Art Workshop organized by Tagore Society, Jamshedpur, 2009 • Art Camp organised by State Institute for Rural Development (SIRD), Govt. of Jharkhand, Ranchi, September 2013 • Art Camp organised by Yugantar Bharti at Bistupur, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand on 2nd October, 2013 • 7th Art Workshop organized by Tagore Society, Jamshedpur, 2013 • Art camp organised by ‘OFF THE WALL' art gallery, Jamshedpur from 13th to 16th March 2014 • Art camp organised by ‘OFF THE WALL' art gallery, Jamshedpur from 13th to 16th March 2015 • ‘KRISHNA CHARIT’, an international art camp organized by Chittorgarh Art Society, Chittorgarh, Rajasthan, January 2016 • ‘Spiritual Strokes’, a national art camp at Sanchi, MP, organised by Sanchi University of Buddhist-Indic Studies from 28th March to 3rd April 2017. • ‘Winter art camp’ organised by Surya Art Gallery at Gandarvapur Artist Village, Saputara, Gujarat, India, 22 to 25 Dec, 2017 • An International Art Camp of paintings & sculptures organised by Rainbow Art at Avari Hotel, Deira, Dubai from 28th September to 2nd October 2019 • 6th National Art Workshop Organized by Kala kutumbh Foundation from 24th to 26th December 2021 at Chittorgarh, Rajasthan • ‘16th Kalaparv Crayons’ Art Camp, Tonk, Rajasthan from 28th to 30th December 2022 • International Digha Art Festival 2023, Old Digha, West Bengal from 6th to 8th February 2023 • 17th Kalaparv Crayons Art Camp, Tonk, Rajasthan from 1st to 3rd October 2023 • Amity National Art Fest'2024, Amity University, Rajasthan from 3rd to 5th April 2024

Awards: • Emerging artist award for the Jharkhand State'2015 by Prafulla Dahanukar Art Foundation, Mumbai • NATIONAL ART ICON with the 'Nari Nidhi Award' 2017 Organised by Hammerartag.com, New Delhi. 2017 • ‘Best Art Teacher’ Award by Global Teaching Excellence Award 2021.

Collections: Many private collections at Jamshedpur, Jaipur, Bhopal, Mumbai, Hongkong, Hungary, UK, Australia, Dubai

My Creations

Freedom

In the name of freedom, I shall fly! This painting is a symbolic representation of duality within day and night closely associated with Indian women in society. The hubbub of day chores weaves a cage of responsibilities that keeps her allured whereas only during the tranquility and silence of the night, she realizes her own needs and ambitions. 12 X 24 In | 30 X 60 Cm | Acrylic on Canvas

Transformation Into Waterfall

The sun is shining bright and the mountains are gleaming with mud and hope. There she is, Mother Nature prospering in a waterfall.

As an epitome of love, carving, and generousness, an Indian woman resembles Mother Nature. This painting is a representation of a woman as Mother Nature.

48 X 36 In | 122 X 91 Cm | Acrylic on Canvas