The traditional and age old medium of needlework on cloth, 'embroidery', takes a novel stance in the series of works rendered by artist Bapi Das. The manual needle work attains a marvellous, unbelievably flawless and true to life perfection that fascinates and charms the viewer tremendously.
In sync with the past years spent driving an auto rickshaw for a living; his visual allegories absorb much from his background and history. He builds an intricate, intriguing journey on his medium of expression which is still rooted in his past experiences and time spent exploring the roads while driving. The personally accentuated perspectives of his escapades get exemplified through a selective, handpicked portrayal of excerpts absorbed from a vast terrain. The photorealistic depictions combined with imaginative and fantastical space divisions enhance the strength of his visual dialogue.
One of his works titled, missing route, juxtaposes an interesting set of visuals arranged in a geometrically spanned, simplified and abstract looking space. The rear view mirror, with the drawing of a map, metaphorically symbolises the element of uncertainty and suspense in the life of a traveller. On the other hand, the detailed section depicted on a circular mirror reinstates a relaxed stance of the driver, perhaps of the one who is calm and believes in peaceful existence. The extent of the space created in the work by the artist is allegorical and personal, revealing and concealing, metaphorical as well as sublime.
