ANIRBAN SETH

Painter

Life Events

Maintaining all the special features of a painting on canvas, I prefer to use the medium (Painting on Leather & Vellum)as my means of expression. I am Calcutta based practicing artist & experimenting with newer and newer techniques. Done by Tanning raw hide and then painting on it, I  use the tips of my fingers as a brush, smearing colour on Leather to create images from life and nature, spirituality and rationality. The Medium of painting is not only time-consuming and laborious, but also permit me to work only in the humidity-free winter months.  I have been working in this medium for quite a longtime and have also exhibited my works in different galleries in India and abroad. My exhibits have been highly appreciated among the art critics and media and also from “GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS”, London. U.K. [ Membership Number:24492, Claim ID: 32422]

My Subject is “Do not Destroy Nature & Environment”. This is my new series of paintings. Here I promote animal rights ……voicing environmental concerns. Some Plunderer of Nature had been destroying our environment till today. We must need to concern and protect our environment.

            I am a first class graduate & master degree holder from Government College of Art & Craft, Calcutta University, started painting when I was 16 years and have been doing so still now. Drawing inspiration is reflected in his Twenty One special awards & Twenty solo exhibitions along with various invited group shows in different galleries all over India & abroad.

Received 21 awards including –“ AMERICAN ART Award 2018”[ 6^th Rank],…National Award, Lalit KalaKshetra, Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Camlin Art Foundation,. Govt.Art College, E.Z.C.C., Avantika International, W.B.State Academy award(R.B.U-Lalit Kala Academy)etc. “ICAC gallery” [International Contemporary Art Centre, Mumbai], Colours Land Art Academy.

             [My Collections is like-Jehanjir Art Gallery [Mumbai], Birla Academy (Kolkata),Lee-Alison Sibley[U.S. Consul general ],Moni Ratnam [Eminent  Film Director], Art World(Chennai),Aurodhan Art Gallery(Pondichery), Tata Steel, Emami Limited,  Marble Palace (Kolkata),  British Deputy High Commission & Many Private, Corporate & Institutional collections, Like – India & Abroad  [ like- USA, UK, CANADA, PARIS, GERMANY, RUSSIA, HONGKONG, SPAIN, SINGAPORE, THAILAND, BANGLADESH, JAKARTA etc].

“From the word go Anirban Seth, an MVA from Kolkata’s Govt. College of Art, was attracted to leather as a vehicle of his creativity. Leather, including parchment and suede, has long served as the canvas for artists in many civilisations spread across the five continents. Albrecht Durer is known to have executed some memorable images on vellum. African and Australian Aboriginal artists continue to use it as a mode of their creative expression. Indonesia, and Malayasia, used it to create aesthetic figuration. In the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, it continues to spur the highly imaginative leather puppets used in the shadow theatre of Bommalata.

Closer home, Anirban has grown up watching the batik images crafted on leather by artisans at Sriniketan, an extension of Santiniketan. Fascinated by the special effect that one cannot extract on paper or canvas, Anirban has harnessed the medium to his advantage. He uses it for the background, the texture, the mood – all with telling impact. He heightens every accidental effect through the use of leather paint on creased or crumpled sheep leather. He is building on the natural sturdiness of camel hide, and striving to enlarge its scope by using substitutes. Simultaneously his ingenuity is working on newer ways of tanning so that he can overcome the natural handicaps of the medium that develops fungus in monsoon.

For his content, Anirban initially drew upon nature as reflected in his mind’s eye. Those landscapes in bright daubs of colours were abstracts of the reality he saw around him. Essentially the 29-year- old responds to his environment. So, when nature plays havoc in the form of a ‘tsunami’, that too enters his picturespace. Increasingly he is moving towards subjects with greater relevance to his own times, as he is towards creating a pictorial language that is recognisably his own.

I am certain, he will open new horizons in his quest for a place under the sun.”

Ratnottama Sengupta

[ARTS EDITOR, THE TIMES OF INDIA,

KOLKATA ] November 6, 2005.

Hide and seek – Paintings on Leather

“A conscientious artist who wishes to highlight and address issues relevant to our times through his art, Anirban Seth also comes across as a man of exceptional creative talent. Continuous experimentation with the medium of art has led him to master the art of painting on leather, a surface de mending a high degree of expertise end technical perfection for colours to be applied and remain clearly visible.. Done by tanning raw hide and then painting on it, Seth uses the tips of his fingers as a brush, smearing colour on leather to create images from life aid nature, spirituality and rationality. Often embellishing his art with gold and silver foil, he generates startling visual effects, portraying natural beauty and emotional experiences with equal ease. Seth’s innovations on texture also include batik work and stencilling for embossing and relief effects, creating a unique pictorial language. The exhibition of his works is a splendid tribute to this painstaking yet immensely pleasing mode of expression in which he excels.”

‘The Telegraph’, Metro: Time Out: 27th May, 2005, Calcutta.

ARTIST STATEMENT

From the get go Anirban Sheth was attracted to leather as a vehicle of his creativity. Leather, including parchment and suede, has long served as the canvas for artists in many civilisations spread across the five continents Closer home, Anirban has grown up watching the batik images crafted on leather by artisans at Sriniketan, an extension of Santiniketan. Fascinated by the special effect that one cannot extract on paper or canvas, Anirban has harnessed the medium to his advantage. He uses it for the background, the texture, and the mood – all with telling impact. He heightens every accidental effect through the use of leather paint on creased or crumpled sheep [ Vegetable Tanned] leather. He is building on the natural sturdiness of camel hide, and striving to enlarge its scope by using substitutes. Simultaneously his ingenuity is working on newer ways of tanning so that he can overcome the natural handicaps of the medium that develops fungus in monsoon.

We are parts of nature – we are nature, the elements of environment.
Are humans a joy or damage to our habitat, planet Earth?
I want to Share my thoughts through my art…
& want to Show the nature and humans at their best… or their worst.

Flying Aero plane like human being is feature of Conceptual Art. Here his Subject is “Do not Destroy Nature & Environment”. This is his new series of paintings. Here the artist promote animal rights ……voicing environmental concerns. Some Plunderer of Nature had been destroying our environment till today. We must need to be concerned and protect our environment.

ART WITH LEATHER

Nalini S Malaviya

THE ECONOMIC TIMES

[FINANCIAL TIMES] TIMES NEWS NETWORK,

28^Th October, 2005,  BANGALORE.

“Over the years, leather has found many functional uses, as well as decorative use in traditional crafts. Painting, stamping, and stenciling have been popular techniques used to embellish leather. Leather puppetry is an ancient folk art in our country, having its origins in Andhra Pradesh.

The traditional puppets and the more contemporary products such as lampshades, toys and other items are vibrantly colourful with intricate detailing. Hide from cattle such as camel, goat and sheep is treated and painted upon in a highly labour-intensive process.

Kolkata based artist Anirban Seth paints on leather to create series on landscapes, still life and so on. Having studied fine arts, Anirban began exploring various avenues as an outlet for his creativity. Experimenting with leather for several years, he found creative satisfaction in this difficult and challenging medium.

He treats leather as a canvas and paints on it using various techniques – the results are aesthetic and visually pleasing. He says, ‘what fascinates me about this process is the accidental effects that are introduced using this technique. Also, there is ample opportunity to experiment with textures. He likes to use a lot of folk motifs in his paintings.

By using resist technique like Batik, stenciling, embossing and creating relief effects, he

creates interesting textures and effects. Sometimes, he uses gold and silver foil to

enhance the paintings. Through constant experimentation, Anirban hopes to work with

artificial leather as well.”

ABOUT ANIRBAN SETH

“An exhibition mounted by the gallery names-An.Art currently showcases works of Anirban Seth, who in the span of a few years has carved out a niche for himself by fusing technology with aesthetics. With an admirable grasp of the power of rhythm and decorative patterns, the young artist has projected leather painting as a special field of visual art, forging a link with the artists of the post-cave dwellers’ era when paper was yet to be invented.

 Painting on well-tanned Seth has been able to draw the at Sheep or camel leather, tension of art enthusiasts across the country by dint of the originality which allows him to ex-press emotional nuances through the texture obtained, The preparation of leather as pictorial surface, he tells us, is not only time-consuming and laborious, but also permits the artist to work only in the humidity-free winter months. The flowers-and-vase series in the current offerings shows the plastic quality of Seth’s art.”

SAMIR DASGUPTA

‘The Telegraph’

27^th May, 2005, Calcutta.