Anupam Sud’s exhibition explores human vulnerability through powerful printmaking techniques, says SAKSHI PRIYA
Walking into Anupam Sud: The Journey A Full Circle at the Palette Art Gallery is like stepping into the mind of an artist who has spent decades exploring the intricacies of human existence. Her works don’t just hang on the walls; they resonate, confront, and invite contemplation. This exhibition, spanning five decades of her artistic practice, feels less like a retrospective and more like a conversation, a dialogue between past and present, between the artist and her audience.
Anupam Sud’s art is unflinchingly honest. Her etchings and prints capture the vulnerability of the human body and spirit, portraying it with a rawness that is both unsettling and deeply empathetic. There is nothing superficial here; each line, shadow, and texture is deliberate, layered with meaning and emotion. Her figures, often placed in sparse, almost theatrical compositions, seem to ask questions rather than offer answers. Who are we beneath our constructed identities? What does it mean to be human in a society that often feels fractured and disconnected?
What sets Sud apart is her mastery of technique, but even more so her willingness to push its boundaries. From her early etchings to her recent pandemic-era print collages, there’s a sense of fearless experimentation. She refers to her process as embracing the “controlled accident,†and this philosophy permeates her art. It’s not just about precision but about allowing the unexpected to shape her work, a balance of discipline and spontaneity.
Perhaps most striking is how her art reflects her lived experience. Her portrayal of urban life, the complex roles of women, and the quiet struggles of everyday existence are deeply personal yet universally relatable. The human body becomes a motif, a vessel for exploring themes of resilience, fragility, and self-reflection.
This exhibition is more than a celebration of a career; it’s a reflection of the power of art to evolve and endure. Even as Sud acknowledges the physical challenges of printmaking, her work continues to pulsate with energy and relevance.Her art speaks to the soul, challenging viewers to pause, reflect, and connect, not just with her work but with themselves. Anupam Sud’s journey, as captured here, is a reminder that art, at its best, asks questions that stay with us long after we leave the gallery.
Photos: Pankaj Kumar
