A young boy in Assam used to see his father crafting out of clay, he was so fascinated by sculpture-making that he, later on, pursued a course in visual arts to carve his dream into reality. While experimenting, he started making miniature sculptures out of bamboo. Presently, working as a freelance artist, Binoy Paul’s miniature sculptures that are crafted with bamboo and other materials have garnered a name for themselves in the art sphere.

“As a growing adolescent, I have been fortunate to watch my artisan father, a traditional idol maker, earnestly delving with his medium, i.e., clay, straw, bamboo, and jute every day. The entire process inspired me to the extent that I grew with a dream to discover an authentic creative expression in the higher detail of ethnicity. Thus, I invested my entire academic skills in discovering the unique creative expression with ethnic values through indigenous materials like bamboo and cane,” said Dr. Binoy Paul, who holds a Ph.D. in visual arts.

Binoy uses both conventional and non-traditional mediums to produce a modern creative expression using bamboo which is found abundantly in the Northeastern region. His art is deeply rooted in the craft and culture of idol making, Alpana, Sara, pata chitra, body art, and pottery of Barak valley in Assam. His work is inspired by the common cultural heritage of north-east themes of India, which are reflected in his use of form, materiality, colours, and technique.

“Although there are other materials I preferred bamboo as it was easily available. Moreover, bamboo has a huge scope in terms of art and craft and it needs to be promoted in a good way,” added Binoy.

(With inputs from agencies)