SUN BIRDS FLYING ON THE LOTUS POND

Artist Ramu Das

The recurring presence of lotuses and lotus leaves forms the core element of my work. These vibrantly contrasted motifs, surrounded by the wider landscape elements, emerge from my observation of the natural world and become integral to my visual language. The landscape of Santiniketan, with its changing seasons, and the annual arrival of Siberian migratory birds, has been an enduring source of inspiration. Their cyclical return reminds me of continuity and rhythm of life. Also, small beings like bees mirror the emotional and social movements of life, helping me explore the tension between stillness and change. Formally and visually, my work draws heavily from Buddhist Thangka paintings. Their vivid colour palette, precision of line, and meditative compositional balance guide the way I structure my surfaces. Within this framework, the lotus becomes a spiritual anchor. It symbolizes purity rising from the mud; a metaphor for humanism persevering within a complex and corrupt world.