Behind the Canvas: A Journey of Artist Indranil Banerjee

Art is often seen as a medium for expressing emotions, stories, and messages, but for Indranil Banerjee, it is far more personal and profound. His canvas is not just a surface to project ideas—it becomes an extension of himself, a subject in its own right. In his own words, “Canvas, to me, is a subject. It tolerates my angry outbursts and patiently listens to my imagination.” This intimate relationship between artist and canvas defines the essence of Indranil’s artistic journey, which is deeply introspective, marked by self-discovery rather than an external narrative.

The Process of Self-Realization

For Indranil, painting is not about making grand statements or offering sermons to society. Instead, it’s a process of self-realization—a meditation. The first stroke on the canvas sets the tone for what comes next. It isn’t planned or premeditated but rather an organic flow of emotions. “The first tone on the canvas decides the flow and flight of my journey. After executing a thought, I am a relieved man,” he says. But this relief is fleeting. When one piece is finished, a new process begins, and the internal dialogue resumes. Painting, for him, is a space where his mind and subject merge, creating something that, while deeply personal, resonates with the idea of finding oneself.

Indranil’s art does not carry a message in the conventional sense. His paintings are not vehicles for storytelling or conveying a specific concept. Instead, they are a reflection of his internal world—a place of meditation, or dhyan, where he loses and finds himself. “I always feel that paintings are not a medium or place to show my concept, ideas, or beautiful stories. It does not carry any message. Rather, it takes me to a world within me, finding myself through a path of self-realization.” In this way, his work transcends explanation, crossing the limits of worldly expression and becoming something almost spiritual.

Early Artistic Endeavors

His early days as an artist were filled with experimentation and raw passion. During college, Indranil carried a secret sketchbook in his bag, where he would doodle, scribble, and experiment with ideas. This sketchbook became a personal diary filled with the scribblings of a restless mind. “After college, I would doodle in that sketchbook. I filled many notebooks; some are still there, many have been lost. Scribblings of a madman,” he recalls. These early sketches were not meant for public consumption but were essential to his artistic growth, offering a space to explore without judgment.

After college, Indranil’s journey as an artist continued with exhibitions, though they were often met with indifference. He recalls transporting his paintings in a van to galleries, with his father offering practical advice: “Make sure nothing comes back.” But, more often than not, the van returned a week later with his unsold paintings. “A week later, the same van would be back in front of the house with these bullshits,” he says with a sense of resignation.

For Indranil, success in the conventional sense—fame, recognition, and financial gain—has never been the goal. In fact, he admits that his paintings rarely made any money. “If my heart wasn’t in it, I never painted. And whatever bullshit I did paint never made any money, and it still doesn’t.” His work has often been misunderstood, and as a result, much of it has been lost. Yet, despite this, he continues to create, driven by an inner need rather than external validation. “No one understood it, and no one understands it still,” he remarks.

A Journey of Introspection

Indranil Banerjee’s artistic journey is one of profound introspection. His work reflects not just his thoughts and emotions but also his relationship with the act of creation itself. His paintings mirror his inner world, a world where art is not about making a statement but finding oneself. And though much of his work remains unseen or misunderstood, this deep, personal connection to his art makes his journey so compelling. He paints not for others but for himself—each canvas is a step closer to understanding who he truly is.