Saumen Khamrui

Saumen Khamrui’s artistic journey began under the profound influence of the Indian School of Painting. His early works, guided by mentors and inspired by the Bengal style and miniature art, revealed his innate talent. Over time, he shifted focus from thematic representations of life to a deep engagement with landscape art, drawing inspiration from the works of Bengal masters like Gopal Ghose, Abanindranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Biren Dey, and Ganesh Haloi. These artists shaped his perception, emphasizing landscapes as realizations rather than mere observations. His interpretations diverged from his predecessors, particularly in his use of chromatic nuances and calligraphic lines reminiscent of Gopal Ghose’s Bengal Famine series. His admiration for Tagore’s Canal in Sahajadpur further spurred his quest for a distinct visual language. Early landscapes reflected the legacy of Bengal painters from the late 19th to mid-20th centuries, while his later works embraced simplified forms, geometric elements, and a restrained colour palette. This evolution marked a shift towards nature as the sole subject of his art, moving away from depictions of life. Gouache became Saumen’s medium of choice, a deliberate decision reflecting his connection to the rawness of nature. Rejecting the plasticity of acrylics and the glamour of oils, he often created pigments from natural materials, such as white from conch shells and brown from earth. The rough textures in his works further emphasized the authenticity of his connection to nature. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he produced a series of poignant paintings that captured the claustrophobic ambience of the time, starkly depicting the absence of life. His evolving relationship with his surroundings influenced his artistic choices, as reflected in a gradual shift in his color palette—from vibrant greens, yellows, and reds to subdued browns. He remarked that the diminishing greenery in his environment profoundly impacted his art, mirroring his observations of a changing landscape. Saumen’s work remains a testament to his evolving dialogue with nature and his commitment to preserving its essence through art.

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