JOYDEEP BHATTACHARJEE

I am a multi-disciplinary visual artist. My works are based on Gender fluidity, Sexuality, Human Rights, Freedom, Equality and Social Justice. There is confluence of human body, mind, physiology, divinity, and spirituality in my creations. This style of work is been immemorial. All along I attempted to depict the social history and evolution of third gender. Their pain and helplessness are constant source of my artistic endeavor.

 

The two most powerful things in the human body are the brain and the mind which is abstract. The game of mind and brain is very mysterious and funny. Their reaction continues every moment which plays the pivotal role in managing people and reactions for these biological feelings. My artwork replicates the mystical outline of this reaction. In the beginning, I used to give a contemporary form in my works combining Indian mythology and folk art. In this journey of twenty years, I gradually discovered myself and my work reflects my soul. Since then, with the subject, shape and the medium of my paintings, I evolved and experience the song of happiness and sadness of life in many forms.

 

My work deals with contemporary controversial issues, which are also my personal crisis. The work I have done is a reflection of the lives and minds of thousands of third gender community people. Their life struggle is not counted by society, family above all heterosexual mind and brain. Having carried two existences in the same body, these are most helpless people in society and also in their fight of existence. The society calls them Hijra, Chakka, Maga, Ladies, Mitha etc. The society has given the name of third gender to such people. I am trying to put forward their struggle and survival. There is conflict in between their biological gender identity and their inner gender identity. They want to come out of their closets but under social pressure they can't make that possible. They have to live in a male body while being a woman by heart and vice versa. This pain of dual existence and deep helplessness have been evoked in my canvas.

 

Through my work I have tried to open the windows for thousands minds and want to touch it. The subject matter of my painting is controversial but has a beautiful sense of aesthetics that keeps art lovers attracted. In my artistic journey, I keep asking myself that who I am? What is my identity? What is my gender? Male or female? Or a combination of both, i.e., Ardhanarishwar. Here I am the amalgamation of both, Shiva and Shakti, two in one. I am trying to compose the pictorial poetry of thousands of such thoughts. These people live as living corpses who are helpless, homeless, socially humiliated and there is no love stored for them. I try to touch their hearts with love through my work. My artworks include Transformation, Hunger, Identity Crisis, Lakshmi Dev, Antar Man - Antarvas, Ranna Bati, Marriage of Two Minds, Sansara etc