Kanchan Karjee’s sculptural practice is essentially figurative and centres around the anatomy of a child. He confronts the issue of emotional and physical representation of the figure through the medium of wood, soft yet firm to carve out, much like the moulding of a child through its life. Believing the language of the body to be the purest form of communication, he approaches the treatment of every form with this innocence. Even in his adult forms, this naïveté is palpable – being both deliberate and automatic, as over the years his hands have learned to execute intent and emotion with the utmost ease. It is rare to come across such sculptural finesse with the ability to imbue a work with both psychological and physiological mastery and Kanchan is that rarity.
Artists state – The human body is a container of memories, feelings and aspirations. I look for the self in others while locating them in spaces that are simultaneously personal and social. The immediate space around me is another element that percolates to form layering presented in the form of data. A latent drama comes up as a visual proposition, the main focus remains in the inquiry of circumstances within which the self is located. Specific representational forms appearing simultaneously as props and sculptural accessories, act as contexts that I attempt to build. Though I do not clearly mark the content to usher a sense of ambivalence, a feeling of pain becomes intrinsic to my presentation.
Kanchan adds that in executing the body of the sculptural composition. The consequent object-hood is projected as an attempt to keep the emotional factors remain camouflaged. At times the irrational juxtaposition is to reflect on the absurdity of matters that remain as a visible surrealistic proposition. The vulnerability of human existence is though a focus, disjointed story line here is a strategy to generate possibilities of visual reading.
Kanchan was born in 1987 in Bengal. He completed his BFA and MFA in sculpture from Rabindra Bharati University in 2013 and 2016 respectively.He has been exhibiting his works since 2014 and well-known galleries have recognized his potential. In 2015 he showcased his works with Emami Chisel and Birla Academy of Culture, Kolkata. In 2016 his works were part of shows by Gandhara Art gallery and Harrington Street gallery. 2017 saw his participation again with Emami Chisel, then at the Kochi Muziris Biennale, the Karnataka Lalithakala Academy and he also received the Art Mondiale award. Regularly exhibiting, he participated with Kalakriti Art Gallery, Hyderabad in 2018, Rajya Charukala Parishad.