India has started recognising sand artists: Sudarsan Pattnaik -Governance Now

India has started recognising sand artists: Sudarsan Pattnaik

Swati Chandra | August 29, 2017 | NEW DELHI

#On a personal note #Sudarsan Pattnaik #sand art #social issues

(Photo: Facebook/@sudarsan.sandart)

Sudarsan Pattnaik’s association with sand art began when the artist was only nine years old. Born in a poor family in Puri, Odisha, Pattnaik faced a lot of hardship in his formative years which he believes is what brought him close to sand art. His art was first recognised in 1997 when he got a chance to participate in the international sand art festival. Thereafter, he participated in several such festivals and won accolades for India in more than 20 countries. He connects a social message in all his works. At the age of 40, the artist and the art have become synonymous in India. Besides several prestigious awards to his credit, Pattnaik was awarded Padma Shri in 2014.

What inspired you towards sand art?

I was always inclined towards painting and drawing. My childhood was full of struggle and art was where I found peace. There was no money in my family. I even worked as a labourer when I was a kid. I started discovering this art form from the age of nine. My house was close to the beach. Whenever I used to get some free time, the beach became my canvas.

Who was your guru?

I had no guru. You can say I taught it to myself – practising every day on the beach. I did not know about the existence of any such art form in the professional sphere until I started carving sculptures with my own fingers.

We don’t have any professional course in sand art. What are your thoughts on that?

Yes, there are none in our country. But very soon the government will launch a certificate course in sand art at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). I have just finished designing the course structure for that. I am sure it will help many budding sand artists in our country.

Do you train people as well?

Yes, I provide training to artists through my open-air Golden Sand Art Institute at Puri beach since 1994.

Your work is known for its aptness. How do you do that?

Importance of this unique and temporary art form lies in its powerful messages. I focus on the timeliness to convey a message. Sometimes our [Pattnaik’s and his students’] messages do yield results. We have recently raised voice for the cleanliness of Puri beaches in Odisha.

What are your future plans?

I am intending to open a sand art park or museum, like the one in Japan.

Does India treat its sand artists well?

It has started recognising them now. The Odisha government organises a sand art festival in December every year. We still have a long way to go compared to countries like the US, Canada and Germany. There is immense scope due to a large coastal area in the country.

(The interview appears in the August 16-31, 2017 issue of Governance Now)

Comments

Other News

When Nandini Satpathy told Biju Patnaik: ‘I’ll sit on the chair you are sitting on’

Nandini Satpathy: The Iron Lady of Orissa By Pallavi Rebbapragada Simon and Schuster India, 321 pages, Rs 765

Elections 2024: 1,351 candidates in fray for Phase 3

As many as 1,351 candidates from 12 states /UTs are contesting elections in Phase 3 of Lok Sabha Elections 2024. The number includes eight contesting candidates for the adjourned poll in 29-Betul (ST) PC of Madhya Pradesh. Additionally, one candidate from Surat PC in Gujarat has been elected unopp

2023-24 net direct tax collections exceed budget estimates by 7.40%

The provisional figures of direct tax collections for the financial year 2023-24 show that net collections are at Rs. 19.58 lakh crore, 17.70% more than Rs. 16.64 lakh crore in 2022-23. The Budget Estimates (BE) for Direct Tax revenue in the Union Budget for FY 2023-24 were fixed at Rs. 18.

‘World’s biggest festival of democracy’ begins

The much-awaited General Elections of 2024, billed as the world’s biggest festival of democracy, began on Friday with Phase 1 of polling in 102 Parliamentary Constituencies (the highest among all seven phases) in 21 States/ UTs and 92 Assembly Constituencies in the State Assembly Elections in Arunach

A sustainability warrior’s heartfelt stories of life’s fleeting moments

Fit In, Stand Out, Walk: Stories from a Pushed Away Hill By Shailini Sheth Amin Notion Press, Rs 399

What EU’s AI Act means for the world

The recent European Union (EU) policy on artificial intelligence (AI) will be a game-changer and likely to become the de-facto standard not only for the conduct of businesses but also for the way consumers think about AI tools. Governments across the globe have been grappling with the rapid rise of AI tool