Siba Panigrahi, the virtuoso of the canvas, wielded his brush like a magician conjuring spells
Sanjay Bhatt
In the beautiful village of Kuliana, in the heart of Mayurbhanj district, a creative genius was born in 1943. Siba Panigrahi, a name that would resonate through the annals of Odisha’s art history, embarked on a journey that would redefine the boundaries of artistic expression. While his canvas embraced various themes, it was his lifelong dedication to two series – ‘Dreamscapes’ and ‘Dream in the Sky’ – that would leave an indelible mark on the world of visual art.
Siba Panigrahi’s artistic odyssey began with his first solo exhibition in Katak in 1963, a prelude to a career that would see his works grace the walls of galleries both within and beyond India’s borders. His vibrant depictions of dreams found homes in art galleries across Odisha and far beyond.
As an educator, Panigrahi served as the Head of the Department of Painting at B.K. College of Art and Crafts in Bhubaneswar, shaping the artistic aspirations of future generations. His contributions also extended to leadership, where he headed the State Lalit Kala Akademi from 2013 to 2015.
Awards and accolades flowed in recognition of his extraordinary talent. The National Akademi Award in 1996, the State Lalit Kala Akademi Award in 1960, the Sarala Puraskar, and the Best Visual Artist of the State award presented by the Chief Minister in 1972 all adorned his illustrious career. Most recently, his name was poised to receive the prestigious Odisha Dharmapada Award, the highest honor bestowed by the State Government for a lifetime of achievements in the realm of fine arts.
Siba Panigrahi, the virtuoso of the canvas, wielded his brush like a magician conjuring spells. His art transcended the ordinary, inviting us into a world where colors breathed and emotions took shape. With a palette as diverse as his boundless imagination, he breathed life into dreams and emotions on the canvas of existence.
In the realm of visual art, Siba Panigrahi was a visionary. His works wove symphonies of colors, each hue narrating a tale, every shade summoning an emotion. His canvases acted as portals to alternate dimensions, where the commonplace met the extraordinary.
With each masterpiece, Siba Panigrahi beckoned us to plumb the depths of our souls. His art whispered the secrets of the human experience, from the rapture of love to the pangs of solitude. Each painting was a journey, an odyssey of emotions that etched an indelible impression upon the viewer’s heart.
Siba Panigrahi’s visual art was not bound by the constraints of time or space. It was a fusion of cultures and ideas, a celebration of diversity and unity. His brush strokes served as a bridge spanning the past and the future, a testament to the enduring potency of human creativity.
As we stood before his canvases, we were reminded that art was not merely a mode of expression but a bridge—a bridge between the artist and the observer, a bridge between the visible and the invisible. Siba Panigrahi’s work served as a testament to the enduring influence of art to transcend boundaries and touch the core of our shared humanity.
In the world of visual art, Siba Panigrahi was a luminary, a painter whose creations would continue to inspire and resonate with generations to come. His legacy was not merely in the strokes of his brush but in the emotions, he stirred and the narratives he wove. He was more than an artist; he was a storyteller of the human experience, and his stories would echo in the hearts of all who gazed upon his works.
(The writer is a visual artist and TV serial director. Views expressed are personal)
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