2026 참여작가 · 인도작가
고팔 크리슈나 사만트레이
Gopal Krushna Samantray
Korean Magpie-I
Acrylic on canvas
ARTIST NOTE
Korean Magpie-I,II explores the uneasy relationship between birds, wildlife, and the modern human world. The magpie, striking in its vivid blue and black plumage, sits on an industrial metal pipe while barbed wire surrounds it like a barrier or trap. Butterflies move around the wire, creating a contrast between fragile natural life and harsh man-made structures.Urban Night explores the uneasy coexistence of wildlife and an increasingly industrialized world. A zebra occupies a fragmented urban environment, surrounded by industrial structures and artificial architectural elements, while brightly coloured birds and butterflies introduce traces of the natural world. The dark, almost monochromatic background reinforces a sense of environmental uncertainty and confinement. The artwork suggests how modernization, industrialization, and human-made boundaries increasingly intrude upon the natural habitats of birds and wild animals. At the same time, the magpie's alert presence and vibrant colours can be read as a symbol of resilience and the struggle of wildlife to survive within a rapidly changing world.
PROFILE
Gopal Samantray – Artist Biography I am Gopal Samantray (b. 1976), a contemporary Indian visual artist and painter based in New Delhi. My artistic practice is deeply connected to the natural world and focuses on environmental degradation, urban expansion, habitat destruction, and the displacement of birds and wildlife.I was born on June 6, 1976, in Adhanga, Odisha, and grew up close to the forests and diverse ecosystems of the region. My childhood experiences with nature, along with the traditional stone carvings and architectural forms of Odisha’s temples, have had a lasting influence on my artistic language. I received my formal art education at the B.K. College of Art & Craft, Bhubaneswar, and the Utkal University of Culture, completing my B.F.A. in 2002 and M.F.A. in 2004–05.My paintings bring realistically rendered animals and birds into unexpected artificial, domestic, and industrial environments. Fences, chains, metal structures, furniture, and other human-made elements frequently appear alongside wildlife. Through these unusual juxtapositions, I explore the growing conflict between the natural world and the environments increasingly shaped and controlled by humans.My visual language is semi-surrealist, influenced by European modernist and surrealist traditions, including artists such as Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso. I use vivid colours, strong contrasts, and detailed representations of animals to create visually engaging works that also carry a deeper ecological message.A central concern of my practice is the impact of modern development on wildlife and their habitats. I do not portray nature merely as an ideal or untouched landscape. Instead, I use animals as powerful subjects through which I reflect on deforestation, urban encroachment, industrialisation, habitat loss, and human indifference. My works often convey both the vulnerability and resilience of wildlife as it struggles to adapt to a rapidly changing world.My work has been exhibited across major Indian art centres, including New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, as well as at platforms such as the India Art Fair. I have received the World Environment Day Award from the Government of Odisha (2001), awards from B.K. College of Art & Craft, and a Senior Fellowship from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India (2020–21).Through my art, I continue to examine the fragile relationship between human progress and the natural world, giving a visual voice to wildlife affected by the consequences of modern civilisation.
