See more of Mainak’s work here: www.undream.artweb.com
Being an artist
Please give us a few words of introduction about yourself
Hi, I am Mainak Ghosh. Born on 28 June 1980 to a traditional Bengali Christian family, experimenting with various media – colour, paper, clay, stone, wood, junk materials has always been my passion since childhood. Abstract depiction of real world scenarios has been my subject of interest. Mythological characters and saga amuses me too. My education was a continuum to my creative zest, graduate in Architecture from Jadavpur University, followed by Masters in Design, IIT Kanpur. With a career of more than five years as Experience Design Consultant, I have travelled exhaustively. I have also had the chance to interact closely with people from varied geography, widening my outlook. People, their activities, stories and fantasy are my major source of inspiration.
When did you decide to pursue art as a career?
I have always been into creative domain in some form or the other, be it architecture, visual design, graphics or usability design. I have always been painting and doing my artwork in parallel, its only now that I feel they have matured enough. And hence I decided on a serious business with my art works.
What training did you have?
Graduation in Architecture from Jadavpur University, India followed by Masters in Design in Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. I also did a five year fine arts and crafts course at Rama Krishna Mission Institute of Culture, Golpark, Kolkata, India as a child.
What has been the high point of your career so far?
My exhibition at G. C. Laha Centenary Art Gallery, Kolkata. It was visited by various renowned artists of India. My works were highly appreciated by many.
General Questions
What’s your favourite quote?
Smile at life, it smiles back.
Who is your favourite artist?
Michelangelo.
What are you aiming for?
To become a passionate man living for art.
How will you get there?
To give way to all my expressions, emotions through art.
Is anything holding you back?
Practicality, bondage of society and its rigid processes and patterns.
You and art
What feelings or reactions do you hope to arouse in people who view your work? Are you ever surprised by reactions that you get?
I wish to make people think, ponder over my art. Interpret it in their own ways. Relate it with their lives. Or just treat them as a visual delicacy. Yes I have been surprised thoroughly by the reactions and interpretations. Sometimes people hunt out such meanings, which I never could have imagined until they told me.
From start to finish, how long does it take for you to create your work?
Depends. Few take hours, few take years.
What music do you like to listen to when you work?
None. But any form of music does not cause any irritation either.
What are you working on next? Any future plans or projects in the pipeline that we should look out for?
Yes there are few… interesting ones…
Being inspired by art
Who (living or dead) inspires you? and why?
People around me. With whom I have met, interacted, or with whom I would have loved to interact. Basically its people and their lives, and drama around it.
What feelings, subjects or concepts inspire you as an artist?
Abstraction of real world scenarios. Emotions. Drama of day to day life. Joys and Pains. I just get inspired by all of them.
What is your favourite work that you’ve produced so far and why?
Difficult to say, would love to explore more and even more … and then answer this question. May take my whole lifetime though…
an artist’s advice
For those thinking about turning a passion for art into a career, could you give any advice?
Just listen to your heart…
Any tips on how to get your work seen and get the commissions coming in?
Its a mix of hard work + Luck + Publicity… so be vigilant and be smart… However dont let that ruin your creative spirits.
