Twos a Team

The furnace took shape of a womb as he fired 1001 bowls to celebrate the union of two souls joined by their love for art and she recreated the artist’s impression with bold stokes on her canvas celebrating motherhood. Artist couple M. Sovan Kumar and Helen Brahma’s only collaborative show till now won accolades both in India and abroad.Artist residency“I had conceived Sarnam then and the nine paintings reflected the emotions of a would-be mother,” says Helen.The conception has only grown bigger in the last 12 years with the couple now planning an artist residency at Pipili, about 15 km from here. “We are creating a space that would allow artists in Odisha a chance to interact with national and international stalwarts,” says Sovan about their dream project. Widely traveled, he feels lack of exposure often restricts an artist’s imagination and ability to grow.And Helen can’t agree more. She drew from Sovan’s experience which moulded her works of art. “Earlier, it was just art for art’s sake. He introduced me to the cause behind every piece of art even as they evolved in a surrounding the artist is so well acquainted with,” says Helen. Helen’s creationsIn her painting series -- Dasamahavidya and 64 Yoginis-- she revived the myths associated with the goddesses and yoginis and adapted them to a contemporary setting. If the faceless striking figures in her paintings presented a concept that had a pronounced feminist bent, so did her later series titled ‘Family Package’ and ‘Insects’.While fabric symbolically represented Helen’s woman, elements of her personal life, which include her two kids and their toys, also find a place in her canvas.Sovan was drawn to this feminism in Helen’s works. “I did see a spark in her and soon we started meeting. At one point in time, we felt a need to work together and it was then that we decided to tie the knot,” he says. Sovan and Helen got married in 2000 and have held numerous solo exhibitions since then.Sovan’s masterpiecesIn contrast, Sovan’s famous ‘truck series’ depicted the physical strength associated with man. But deep down it was a commentary on impact of globalisation. The mineral-laden trucks making trips to the mining belt of Odisha that brought along with it a revolution of sorts inspired his paintings. Soon, he used the platform to present important events like the Commonwealth Games and even India’s Cricket World Cup win.Sovan was the only artist from Odisha to have found a place in the 53rd National Exhibition of Art-2011. A post graduate in Sculpture from Banaras Hindu University, he also works on sculpture and ceramics.We are a familyWith the two kids, the journey has been very easy. “Whenever we are called for workshops or camps, we ask for a family package,” says Helen with a laugh. Nevertheless, she has created a space for her work at home itself. “I often take my work to the bedroom. I never had a problem taking time out for painting and my kids have been very supportive,” she adds. With the kids, Sarnam and Gargi, having grown up a little, she is now busy transforming the ground floor of her house into a studio. Sovan also has a small studio at home. The couple has not only helped each other evolve as artists but also kept all hiccups at bay. They have their own creative space bound by fine strands of understanding.