Saumya Bandyopadhyay (b. Kolkata) is a critically engaged contemporary Indian artist, based in Ahmedabad. His extensive practice synthesizes sculpture, painting, and large-scale public installations, mediating a conceptual framework that investigates the complexity of human emotion, societal perceptions of power, and the cyclical nature of existence. His work explores the confluence of personal emotion, societal observation, and the metaphysical connection between human existence and the elemental world.

Bandyopadhyay’s artistic trajectory began in Kolkata, a city he acknowledges as foundational due to its pioneering role in the Indian renaissance and the integral place of art in its cultural festivals. He initially pursued a B.Com (H) before transitioning fully to art, ultimately earning a B.F.A. in Sculpture from the Government College of Art and Craft, Calcutta (2000). He subsequently moved to New Delhi to pursue an M.F.A. in Creative Sculpture from the College of Art, University of Delhi (2002). His academic period was marked by notable accolades, including the Pradosh Dasgupta Memorial Award cum Scholarship (2001) and the 1st Prize from the College of Art (2002), alongside the Sunil Das Scholarship (1999) and a College Award (2000) from the Government College of Art & Craft.

Bandyopadhyay’s focus transitioned to painting, where his conceptual framework has evolved through multiple distinct stages as follows:

1. Mythology and Iconography: An initial exploration focused on projecting religious and mythological themes.
2. Gender and Societal Dynamics: A Conceptual Transition: This artistic or theoretical exploration examines the complexities of gender dynamics and societal perceptions of male and female dominance, primarily within Indian society. It utilizes symbolic representation of the human body to depict the dominant and subordinate gender roles. A key motif in this phase is a bull with wings, symbolizing the dominant male, drawing inspiration from artists such as the French Symbolist painter Gustave Moreau.
3. The Elemental Series: Interpreting Life and Death through Water: This series focuses on liquid/water as the elemental medium for interpreting life and death. Conceptually, it links human development in the womb’s fluid environment (amniotic fluid) with the post-mortem ritual of ashes being immersed in water. Aesthetically, the work employs brighter colour palettes and features aquatic life, to portray life as beautiful even when juxtaposed with mortality.
4. ‘Bull Beautiful’: The Enchanter of Hypothetical Matter: His latest significant series, ‘Bull Beautiful,’ is a highly dynamic, philosophically charged exploration of power, endurance, and kinetic energy, centered on the ancient symbol of the bull. Bandyopadhyay redefines the bull not as a static animal, but as a “hypothetical matter constructed with lines.”

• Kinetic Construction and Physics: The work explores Non-Newtonian gravitational forces, specifically rotation, acceleration, and stability, on a permeable stationary body. The resulting figure appears shaky, twisted, and stretchable, capturing the momentum and continuous volume modification inherent in motion.
• Redefining Virility and Humor: The work presents a bold masculine outlook that upstages the character’s virility, simultaneously inspiring abstract humor through imagery like the bull’s wings and anti-gravity flight. This contrast between bulkiness/dark inspiration and elevation mirrors the complexity of human endurance.
• Uncommon Color Palette: Bandyopadhyay utilizes a vibrant, conceptually driven color palette that is uncommon for the subject. The colors are not merely decorative; they signify and create specific characteristics of the bull, bringing to life the “pleasant utopia and deeper moods” the artist intends to convey.

Bandyopadhyay’s oeuvre is characterised by a continuous drive for experimentation, moving fluidly between media to construct a body of work that acts as a reaction to his social surroundings. He continues to exhibit his work internationally, including in Singapore and Dubai, with the aim of broadening the accessibility and appreciation of contemporary art. He currently lives and works in Ahmedabad.

Bandyopadhyay has established a significant exhibition record with both domestic and international exposure, showcasing the breadth of his artistic evolution. His solo exhibitions have spanned India’s major art hubs, including recent shows at Amdavad ni Gufa, Ahmedabad , 079Stories art gallery, Ahmedabad , Malaka Spice Art gallery, Pune, and Raja Ravi Varma art Gallery, Pune, alongside earlier solo presentations in New Delhi, Hyderabad, and Chennai. Internationally, his work is prominently featured in group shows in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, including participation in Art Moments, Jakarta and curated exhibitions such as ‘Palette of Perspective’ at the ION Art Gallery, Singapore, and ‘Stories in a frame’ with Samsara Arts, Dubai. Domestically, his group work includes conceptual shows like ‘The Power Binary’ and multiple appearances at the Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi (2022, 2002). Bandyopadhyay currently lives and works in Ahmedabad, India.