Dr. Sukant Khurana's Art Exhibition: A New Synthesis
By Shikhant Sablania
31 May, 2016
Countercurrents.org
Dr. Sukant Khurana is a polymath of Indian origin who was trained in US and his cutting edge work spans neuroscience, biotechnology, drug-discovery, computation, artificial intelligence, data science, ecology, visual art, sustainable development, various entrepreneurial efforts, creative and non-fiction writing, and philanthropic projects on socioeconomic development. I am writing this article at the heels of his first solo art exhibition in New Delhi at AIFACS starting 3rd of June because of two very compelling reasons:
1. Like the person, art of Sukant Khurana defies definition.
2. I wonder if these works exhibited could be a start of a new art movement, which I prefer to call “new synthesis” and I am excited about the possibility of someone of Indian origin to catalyze a new direction in art.
Let me try to dissect and analyze art and approach to art that I have come to know in 2 year acquaintance with Sukant. Sukant’s art is unique in the sense that it is all about message, theme or expression, where mediums and styles seamlessly serve the end purpose. Unlike most modern artists, Sukant’s art is not about escapes but in fact serves to face the world and its oppressions boldly. Unlike artists whose art allows art allows free flow of interpretations, despite heavy use of abstraction, due to identifiable metaphors and idioms, Sukant’s art creates huge mountains with valleys though which the message comes flooding at the audience. In a somewhat blasphemous deviation from abstract expressionism that has focused on expression like Sukant’s art, abstraction is not the end goal for Sukant but just a tool. Unlike most modern art works that are difficult to relate to, Sukant’ almost autobiographical and personal art reflects on his and common man’s struggles. This uniquely introspective as well extrospective art provides a mirror to the society.
In the upcoming art exhibition, Making via Unmaking (www.aifacs.org.in/exhibitionimage/exhibition_images/2016_June_Sukant_Khurana.png, www.brainnart.com/june16/) there are works where one layer destroys previous, capturing plight of common people, where effort of one day fails to add up to the effort of previous, in a pocket to mouth survival. Fake smile series captures having to live with a pretense of content, despite excruciating circumstances, while in works on isolation, Sukant uses touches of realism and symbolism. If the works depict the fact of walking through fires in real life and facing elements there are Sukant’s works that have been put in fire, ice, water, repeatedly destroyed, healed, bandaged and made to walk and fight again. If the work represent dream of death amidst dire circumstances then the painting has also gone through stabbing. Some such works are as if Van Gough on steroids took to canvass. A circling rhythm and form in work that depict circling in the same loops captures the feeling just as well as his works on antaragni that capture channelizing internal energy to break free and his works that represent breaking free are a pure joy of color and freedom.
This synthesis across forms, mediums, and most importantly moments of life does not stop at paintings. Sukant is juxtaposing, contrasting, and at times making one his visual art with his own and others poetry and songs. Just few days back Sukant released a book with Dr. Luisa Scott on juxtaposition of poetry and paintings. I would urge you to join Luisa Scott and Sukant Khurana as they share their hearts and minds in their new work, “Circling while.” Follow the journey of these long-time friends as they circle through the art and poetry of their lives. This juxtaposition of media takes a jumbling path through love, relationships, anger and heartache, cycling through similar themes until finally breaking free into new directions.
https://www.amazon.com/Circling-while-Luisa-Scott-ebook/dp/B01G21JJFW
http://www.amazon.com/Circling-while-Luisa-L-Scott/dp/1533352038/
https://www.createspace.com/6287563
I believe the kind of art that Sukant is starting, although has some of its roots in conceptual art and American expressionism, it creates an unforeseen synthesis of forms, media, style and most importantly socially relevant self-reflection instead of escape, so I like to call it a “new synthesis”. I do not know what finally would be the impact and direction of this work but what I am sure is that it would catalyze a new art form. I hope that you see this new force in action at one of the Asia’s oldest art societies at All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society, 1 Rafi Marg, New Delhi 110001 from June 3rd to June 9th, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The venue is next to metro Central Secretariat, Gate number 1 and entry is free.
