Vadodara: Veteran city-based sculptor Asish Kumar Das opened his solo exhibition, Ananta, on Friday, presenting a new body of bronze works that explore the enduring relationship between humans and nature.The three-day exhibition, which will continue till July 5 at The Distillery in Alembic City, is inspired by the Sanskrit concept of Ananta — the infinite and the unbroken cycle of continuity and becoming.Das, who has been part of Vadodara’s art ecosystem for more than three decades, said the collection reflects his belief that creation is a flowing rhythm in which the self dissolves and re-emerges through expression. “My sculptures become my voice, they speak where words fall short. They reflect my enduring relationship with nature and the many selves one inhabits to remain in harmony with the natural world,” he said.The exhibition features works such as Threads of Togetherness, depicting a man and woman united through shared purpose; Silent Dominion, where a woman seated atop a lion with a human face represents the sovereignty of instinct and consciousness; and Shelter of Nature, portraying nature as a silent guardian extending protection to humankind.Many of Das’ sculptures incorporate elongated human forms merging with trees, wings and animal motifs. These transformations symbolise shifting identities and humanity’s continuous adaptation to its surroundings, the artist said. He said his childhood in a remote town in West Bengal, where culture, religion and daily life were closely linked with nature, continues to influence his artistic language.Born in Hooghly in 1962, Das completed his BVA in Sculpture from Govt College of Art and Craft, Kolkata, in 1989, and earned his MFA in Sculpture from MS University in 1991. He has received honours including the Elizabeth Greenshields Award from Canada and a Junior HRD Fellowship from the Govt of India.Das has held solo exhibitions at Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai, Lalit Kala Akademi in New Delhi and other venues across the country. His works are part of collections in India and abroad, including sculptures created for the Wall of Peace project at the Canadian Museum of Hindu Civilization in Toronto.
