Suman Chandra, affectionately known as Banka Chand (crooked moon), emerges as an artist deeply committed to unraveling the intricate narratives concealed within India’s coal-mining landscapes. Born in Midnapore to a coal-selling family, Suman’s artistic journey is interwoven with the stigmas and shadows surrounding coal, shaping his unique perspective.

His artistic exploration began as a quest to understand the materiality of coal mines, marked by hazardous yet captivating labor. Sponsored by the Kolkata Centre for Creativity’s Fellowship program, Suman’s five-year research delves into the heart of mining areas. Initially focusing on the visible surface features of mines, his paintings evolved into poignant portrayals of the lives entangled in these industrial landscapes.

Suman goes beyond the economic value of coal, recognizing the intricate dance between lives and the industry, influenced by political decisions and policy uncertainties. His paintings, resembling landscapes, transcend mundane experiences, serving as visual commentaries on environmental exploitation veiled under the guise of progress.

Rooted in Santiniketan, Suman draws inspiration from the stark landscapes celebrated by luminaries like Benodebehari Mukherjee. His expansive works echo the politics of land, questioning ethical frameworks and sparking conversations about the marginalized lives in coal-mining regions.

In a poetic fusion of traditional and contemporary, Suman innovates image-making techniques. Preserving disappearing Sohrai motifs, he turns them into stencils for archival artworks—a process symbolic of the fragility of rural life under the looming threat of coal mines.

His artworks transcend aesthetic boundaries, confronting viewers with the dualities of wishful rural imagery and the suffocating darkness of coal mines. Themes of aspiration, dreams, and the harsh realities of miners coexist in his pieces, echoing the Upanishad-inspired sentiment of leading from darkness to light.

In the grand realm of artistry and advocacy, Suman Chandra stands as a poignant voice, invoking the profound words of Srijato Bandyopadhyay: “All this joyous arrangement is in vain without me.” Through his art, Suman seeks to carve a space for the forgotten narratives, shedding light on the poignant tales of those living at the margins of coal mines.

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