BHUBANESWAR: Life is barely enough to be adept at one thing. However, there are some who master multiple abilities during their lifetime. Priyanath Prusty, a 27-year old man, has mastered photography, matchstick arts as well as smoke art photography. However, the one which he enjoys most to be engaged in is matchstick arts.
Boasting a collection of 30 artworks, he has already set his sights onto bigger things. On a brief interaction with Orissa Post, he shed some light on his unique ability and future plans.
He said, “Art is like an illusion. You need to have a keen sense of aesthetics to appreciate a piece of art. A piece of art which is beautiful for me may not be the same for someone else. Since my childhood, I have always been appreciative of the creative aspects of human life such as drawings, sketches, art and craft works. Nevertheless, my financial condition didn’t let me pursue my passion for sketching.”
The themes of his works are mostly inspired from mythological characters and daily happening. Prusty, an employee of Camarena, is a native of Kosida village of Kendrapara district. According to him, each of his matchstick artwork has a story to tell. He wishes to convey those messages through his work. He added that it is impossible to inculcate emotions into this art form. The only way to convey a message in these works is through different body angles.
I developed a taste for this at one particular day after coming from work. An intricate model of Goddess Kali, patriots running with the national flag, Lord Ganesha, Maa Durga feature in some of his works. He even wants to impart this unique skill to people who are interested in learning it. Prusty wishes to hold an exhibition of his art works and photography someday. Elucidation his passion for smoke art photography he said, “Smoke has a shape of its own and is not always easy to photograph. However, capturing the beautiful and unique movements of smoke is well worth the effort involved. Currently, I am not able to dedicate much of my time for such an endeavour.
Images of his work have gone viral on Facebook and Instagram. He is followed by a lot of people who are interested in this unique art. Intricate works combined with adept photography has garnered him a sizeable audience in social media. “I try to learn on my own and then improvise,” he added.
Prusty is currently looking for a place where he can preserve his work. His work based on Independence Day celebration is closest to his heart. It was an experimental piece inspired by pure emotions for the nation.
Prusty believes that life is the greatest teacher. He also believes in hard work and perseverance. He said, “One can steal everything but not passion. My passion for art is my greatest treasure.”
Chaitali Shome, OP
