Bhubaneswar: Globally acclaimed sand artist from Odisha Sudarsan Pattnaik is set to showcase ‘jugalbandi’ paintings a unique fusion of colour and sand on canvas during the 18th edition of the Contemporary Venice event in Italy.
Pattnaik said five of his works have been officially selected for exhibition at the prestigious international show in Venice, a UNESCO World Heritage city.
“It is a great honour for me as an artist to be selected for this prestigious international biennale. This is my first time exhibiting my paintings at an international exhibition of this scale. It is a very special and emotional moment for me,” the artist said on Friday.
Noting that his artistic journey first began with colours, after which he shifted to sand art, Pattnaik said bringing both colour and sand together on canvas gives him immense happiness. “Through this, I hope to give a meaningful message to society,” he said.
It may be noted that the 18th edition of Contemporary Venice brings together artists from more than 30 countries, including Turkey, Austria, Saudi Arabia, the US, the UK, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Greece, China, Israel, Sri Lanka, and the Czech Republic, among others.
The exhibition, which will be held at the historic Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello among other venues from March 6-20, is being organised by ITSLIQUID Group in collaboration with ACIT Venice – Italian-German Cultural Association.
In this new body of work, Padma Shri awardee Pattnaik creates distinctive paintings on canvas by blending mixed media colours with natural sand. His artworks focus on themes of nature, harmony, and environmental responsibility.
The combination of sand and colour symbolises the union of his artistic journey -returning to his roots in painting while integrating the medium that made him world famous.
Artworks of Pattnaik, who has won numerous international awards and honours, have also been exhibited across India at the National Gallery of Modern Art in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and New Delhi.
