Kolkata’s street art scene is getting a new look, with artists using the walls of their neighbourhood as a canvas to reflect their creative vision. Sayan Mukherjee is one such artist.
Murals
It was 2017 and Sayan had been working on a few murals in Bangalore, when an agency reached out, asking him to create art for a wall at the Clubhouse entrance to Eden Gardens. “ I wanted to recreate the perspective of a child who was visiting Eden Gardens for the first time, and was mesmerised by the experience,” he reminisces.
This turned out to be just the start, as Mukherjee went on to create another mural for Eden Gardens in 2019 right before India’s inaugural pink ball test match. “This time, we decided to chronicle the journey of a batsman on one wall, and a bowler on another. Each of them showed the player progressing from para cricket to the Ranji Trophy level, to finally playing for India, thus embodying the spirit of the sport,” says Mukherjee who has also created murals for cafes like Wykiki at the Swissotel. He is also credited with refurbishing the dilapidated clubhouse at his own neighbourhood in Kankurgachi.
An undergraduate student from The Indian College of Arts & Draftsmanship, Sayan recalls starting out as an intern before progressing to becoming a trainee and finally an employee. .“ I have done many rounds of the advertising agencies in Kolkata. My work has also taken me to Bangalore, but I never let go of my art during this time,” said Mukherjee.
In 2017, he decided to take the plunge towards his passion, ending his freelance arrangement with Penguin Random House India, and moving to New York to pursue a residency programme for illustrators at the prestigious School of Visual Arts.
A master at multitasking, Mukherjee’s work expands across illustrations for books, advertising campaigns, designs, and creating art for animations. He has worked with big names like Ruskin Bond and Rajdeep Sardesai (Democracy's XI: The Great Indian Cricket Story), and with both local and international projects in his pipeline, does not intend to slow down any time soon.
All said and done however, he makes sure to devote a few hours daily to his murals, adding that there is something about street art that holds a special place in his heart. “What makes murals stand out is getting to see a passer-by’s reaction, and observing the impact my art can have on them. Furthermore, with murals, since the space is larger than a canvas, I can experiment with bolder colours to make the art pop,” observes Mukherjee.
Besides legendary artists like Pablo Picasso, his inspirations include Irish visual artist Oliver Jeffers and Bombay-based artist Sameer Kulavoor. “I adore the murals in Kolkata, including the ones outside Phoolbagan Metro Station, and at Sonagachi,” observes Sayan whose work is reflective of the people, places and culture around him.