Our present day society, is a
place which doesn't pause for anyone. Over the years of evolving to be a
greater people, we have lost our sense of humanity and have become a part of a
rat race in search of a happiness defined by society? Amidst this commotion, an
Artist finds inspiration to bring forth some of the most vibrant pieces of art
to life. He takes the disorders, the pain and constant battle within society to
portray what is right and wrong and paints it on a canvas. Our Artist in
conversation today is the talented Kuntal Barai from Bangladesh and we are
privileged to share this interview.
How
long have you been painting?
I began painting about 10
years ago. It was somewhat an unexpected turn in my life. It began as a hobby
once I finished my schooling years and I slowly learnt that I am able to create
art and the rest is the unfolding of a beautiful journey? J.
Who
are your greatest influencers?
I draw from various artists
and creators around the world. Bangladeshi artists S.M Sultan, Kamarul Hasan,
Joynul Abedin, Shahabuddin Ahmet & amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; Mustafa Zaman to name a few, Indian,
European and Contemporary Artists as well. My biggest inspiration comes from
nature and the life around me.
Did
you have a formal education on art and painting or are self-taught?
Yes, I have formal education
on art. I studied for my Bachelor of Fine Arts and Masters of Fine Arts, both
at the University of development alternative in Dhaka Bangladesh. I think since
I don't come from an artistic background, this education helped me broaden my
understanding of Art and its spheres.
Do
you have a particular style? How did you become so passionate of this style?
I am a visual artist; my
creations range from paintings, sculptors to installations. I love drawing and my most preferred medium
to use is charcoal which helps to elaborate on the many lines and layers of a
piece. I believe I became passionate of this style as I am able to express
myself to an audience. My words are spoken through the art I create.
What
are other passions other than art? How have these passions contributed for you
to become the artist you are today?
I am an ardent traveler and the
present Covid-19 situation has not helped me much but I am looking forward to
beginning these adventures again. I love to visit the hill country, the forest
and rural villages. I draw so much from observing these beautiful landscapes
and I photograph them which is my other passion. I believe these adventures
help me to broaden my views of the world, I also meet different people, mingle
with different cultures as well. Being a visual artist, I gather beautiful
moments from each trip and later on pour it out on a canvas. Travelling is also
a great stress reliever!
Could
you walk us through the process? Percentage wise, how much time do you spend
preparing for the painting and how much time on the actual painting itself? Is
preparation an important part of your process?
Preparation is very important
for me, be it an installation or a painting. The results are visible in the
final product. I spend 70 % of my time in my work and every piece of art has a
process of its own. My mind needs to be cleared out so that I can think, focus
and given my 100 % to the work I am doing.
Are
you engaged in new artistic adventures? How is artistic exploration important
to you as an artist and to your process? How do you then decide what to
incorporate into your style and what you leave as pure fun?
An artist needs to have new
ideas all the time. If not, I don't think he or she will be able to reach their
potential. Looking at it from this perspective, I am always on the lookout for
adventure. I want to create something or give something to people where they
will remember me. In that sense, I always try to explore, go beyond my capacity
and learn new techniques of presenting a piece to an audience.
Was
there a particular moment where you could tell that your skills had just
crossed over into being an exceptionally good painter instead of a pretty good
painter? What did you do make that leap?
To be honest, I cannot answer
this question as I cannot be the judge of my work. I leave it up to my audience
to decide how good I am. But I know I always give 100 % to every piece. I must
that I wouldn't have been able to come this far if my work was not up to
standard. My self-satisfaction is most important and I am happy with who I have
become and where I am heading. J.
How
do you push yourself? Do you set goals for yourself? And if so, what are the
goals? Do you think setting goals is important for an artist in his/her
artistic journey? If so why?
As you rightly asked, I have
goals for myself. The pandemic has brought a few setbacks and delayed my plans
for this year but I am hoping things will turn around. My plans for the next
few months is to have a solo art exhibition and another overseas hopefully
towards June. So right now I am working on these projects. Goals keep us going,
helps us focus and basically keeps us going. J.
How
is your experience working with Aartzy? Do you think it is a useful planform
for artists?
I met Janaka - the Director
of Aartzy about 1.5 years ago, where he invited me to work with him. Aartzy has
helped me to take my work overseas and It is a beautiful medium through which I
can convey my work to people. I think this is a very important platform and I
am truly inspired and privileged to work with Janaka and his team.
All of Kuntal's work can be
explored and purchased through https://www.aartzy.com/artist/kuntal-barai
Manesha
Pieris (2021)