“Humne saari hadein paar kardi hain: we have crossed all limits,” notes artist Santanu Dey about his ongoing solo exhibition Silent Spring, currently on view at Shridharani Gallery in Delhi’s Triveni Kala Sangam.
At its core, Dey’s work confronts pressing environmental issues and seeks to raise awareness through artistic expression. He works with a host of materials like paper, e-waste like screws and bolts, wood, aluminium litho-plates, graphite amongst others. His practice interrogates themes such as the unregulated exploitation of natural resources, and the consequences of unchecked consumerism. “I work with ecology, environment, and what is happening in our surroundings. Every day we are doing so many meaningless, unnecessary things in the name of living,” Dey states.
The title of the show draws inspiration from marine biologist Rachel Carson’s seminal book Silent Spring. “For the past few years, I’ve been working with the idea of spring — typically associated with colour, vibrancy, and renewal. But in my work, I don’t depict these things. I focus on how human activity is destroying our environment. Through my art, I want to show what we are doing to our surroundings, what kind of footprints we are leaving behind for future generations. That’s why my spring is silent,” he adds.