Fathoming Santana Gohain’s artistic realm

Born in 1969 in Dibrugarh, Santana Gohain did her graduation (Printmaking) from the Govt. College of Art and Crafts, Guwahati. She then completed a post diploma (Printmaking) from the Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S. University, Vadodara. The artist received a Junior Fellowship, from the Ministry of Human Resource Development. She has taken part in several shows at major galleries across India.

Her solos include a show at Nazar Art Gallery, in Vadodara (1999); ”Harmony” a collaborative show with her husband Ganesh Gohain at The Fine Art Company, Mumbai, “Existence” at The Fine Art Company(2002), ‘Silent Speech’ in Ahmedabad and Vadodara by Alliance Francaise (2004), and Museum Art Gallery by The Fine Art Company(2006), Mumbai. Santana Gohain’s work is in several prestigious private collections in India and abroad.

The Fine Art Company had presented works by the artist in 2010) at Mumbai’s Museum Gallery. The series, entitled ‘Unknown Changes’, as if prompted visitors to participate in the enriching experience of life journey. An accompanying note elaborated: “Change might be the only constant feature of life. It still leads one to untraversed realms unknown and unfathomable.”

According to the artist, it is natural human behavior or tendency to touch, feel and engage with an artwork if it carries tangibility. The viewer then is able to connect with it on an emotional or perhaps spiritual level. She manages to create this element of tangibility on a mesmerizing metal canvas. She does so by involving various finer aspects around her area of work.

Santana Gohain is largely inspired by her immediate surroundings, be it the sounds that emanate from the clogged industrial area just near her studio, to old homes, the curious process of fabrication, natural flame blue color and even the quaint beauty of natural aging of objects, such as doors, metal frames etc that she juxtaposes with her own intense experiences and astute readings on human psychology.