Born: 1986
Hometown: Balasore
Based in: Mumbai
Sumeet is a Bombay-based self-taught abstractionist. As an artist, he aims to push the boundaries of understanding and emotional response, by blurring the lines of ideation, association, imagination, and abstraction. Politically inclined towards the Art Brut/Outsider Art Movement, he works towards bridging the gap between modern art and the viewer who exists outside the fringes of the art world. His sole aim is to reach out to a wider audience and have ever-evolving, lifelong conversations with his audience through his art.
What inspires you?
I am largely inspired by the unknown and the process of creation itself. I don't necessarily adhere to a particular school of thought; I rather attempt to map the known through the unknown , thus creating a cohesive, unified experience that blends pop culture, psychology, and a diverse range of art forms to create something organic and personal.
Describe your creative process.
There is not much to write about. In short, it's like being part of a exorcism, where I am possessed with something beyond me and the only way to retrace my way back is to work. Each painting thus can be described as a documentation of me grappling with the unknown. This is the reason I don't employ external tools beyond a point.
What are 3 words that best describe your work?
Stream Of Conscious. Organic. Free-flowing.
Who are some artists that have influenced your work?
Hilma af Klimt, Jackson Pollock, Anselm Kiefer, Nam June Paik, Luis Bunuel, Robert Altman, David Lynch, Harmony Korine, Sigur Ros, Erik Satie, John Zorn amongst others.
What is the most important tool when creating your work?
My fingers/hand. Without employing them, the intimacy diminishes significantly.
What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
"Listen to nobody. Refer to no one. Don't try to be anything other than what you can be at the moment."
Where do you go for inspiration?
Nowhere in particular. Inspiration occurs n its own at odd hours. On the other hand, walking and listening to music have helped immensely.