Students' Biennale 2021: Surreal Scenes of Daily Life Through Four Painter's Hands

Subhadip Bhattacharya looks at visuals derived from sources of imagery from daily life that seem universally recognisable, yet become alien in his hands.

Details of figures in the collage, selling sunglasses or speaking at events, are merged with anthropomorphous flora and fauna.

People driving and using tools painted in pastel tones are collaged against the earthy background.

Bivas Paul creates paintings with many parts, showing daily activities and people at leisure.

People gather busily together in some places, while Bivas employs empty space in other parts.

He combines the interior domestic scene and the exterior surreal landscape, featuring Hindu deities from text and imagined.

In place of news reporters, which we are accustomed to seeing on tv, he places a Hindu deity.

In this section of the triptych, the many-headed deity is adapted with pop culture references, wearing headphones and sunglasses, for example, while delivering a blessing.

Supriyo Mondal paints the familiar scene of a fellow train passage, marking the sense of alienation felt by fellow city dwellers.

The familiarity of this image, fragmented from its site of occurrence, enhances its strangeness.

Dibyendu Roy paints highly detailed colourful images of busy shop-like windows.

Focussing on the small scale, he transforms normally minute objects like dolls..

..into much larger forms.

The playful scale makes the viewer question their own position in relation to the work and their own scale in relation to the familiar scenes they're accustomed to.

Capturing the shelves of a familiar stationery or toy shop..

..he renders water bottles and toys with beautiful rich tones.