From grazing cattle to becoming one of the most promising talents at the national level, the journey of young sculptor and painter Sanjay Kumar Raul has been an interesting one.
Born in 1994 at Nampo village near Jalewar in Balasore district, Sanjay was the youngest of four children. As a child, he says, he used to observe his father at work and wanted to do something amazing. His village, childhood and the memories of cattle grazing are often revisited in his paintings.
To his misfortune, Sanjay lost his father when he was in Class V. Faced with financial problems, the family decided that his studies could not be supported. But the young boy was not someone to be bogged down by circumstances. He didn’t lose hope and managed to get the support of one of his school teachers. He stayed in the teacher’s house and took cattle for grazing to pay for the accommodation. He managed to pay his educational expenses and do well in his studies.
Apart from his father, poverty, grief and humiliation also inspired him to paint, says Sanjay. He adds that he prefers watercolours to oils as it is challenging to work with, and he loves challenges.
After achieving a first class in matriculation, Sanjay convinced his family to let him take admission for Plus II in a college. However, studying in Balasore town was an expensive affair. But he got the much-needed help of a relative to settle down in Balasore.
Later, Sanjay studied for a Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA) degree at the Balasore Art College. As expected, he passed the course in first class with distinction.
After getting his BVA, Sanjay wanted to go in for a master’s degree in art. Wishing to study outside Odisha, he chose Kolkata. He appeared for the entrance exam but couldn’t crack it. However, he managed to land a job as an instructor in Balasore Art College. But his heart was set on getting a master’s degree. Next year, he appeared for the entrance exam again and got a place in the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) course in Government College of Art and Craft, Kolkata. In addition to painting, he learnt sculpting. Now, he can make sculptures in different mediums. Be it wood, stone, fibre, bronze or scrap, his touch instills life into the sculptures.
Sanjay is now working on a fresh concept using stone chip and natural medium such as cow dung for his sculptures.
On whether there is any demand for paintings created by hand in the computer age, Sanjay says, “There is difference between hand and machine. For example, there is a difference between your father and my father’s photos. Hands are required to operate the machine, correct?”
Sanjay has won prizes in several national competitions including the ones organised by Mumbai Art Society, Virsa Vihar Art Society (Punjab), and Indian Academy of Fine Arts. His paintings have been displayed at the Indian Fine Art Academy Gallery of Amritsar, art gallery of Indian Navy in Delhi, Subhadra Art Gallery of Bhubaneswar and many other galleries in and outside the state. Besides, his sculptures and paintings adorn the lobbies of many big hotels and corporate offices in the country.
Sanjay’s work was displayed in the prestigious annual function organised by the Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata.
Proud of his land and its art and culture, Sanjay is upset that Odia artistes do not get due recognition at the national level.
“People outside talk about Konark Temple, Jagannath Temple and Mukteswar Temple. But they don’t recognise the Odia artists who have already made a name for themselves,” he says, regretfully.
He has a dream to set up an institution for visual art. As art education is expensive, he intends to teach only poor students so that they can fulfill their dreams of becoming artists.
Recognition
National award by Virsa Vihar Art Society, Punjab
Government College Art and Craft annual award, Kolkata
Balasore Art and Craft College annual award for four years
INTACH Award, Balasore
Gyanasree Prativa Samman, Balasore
Shilpi Bipracharan Samman
Jaleswar Mahotsav Samman
Bijay Mandal, OP