In the dimly lit corners of creative solitude, Santanu Boah emerges as a paradoxical enigma, a self-taught artist, poet and writer navigating the boundless world of artistic expression. With an eclectic oeuvre spanning various mediums, Santanu Borah’s goal is to experience the eternity that exists in a moment.

 

An outlier in the art world, Borah remains a recluse by choice, preferring the sanctity of isolation to the cacophony of societal scrutiny. He believes that an engagement with outside world that goes beyond what is natural for him, is detrimental to his creative process. Music is his most important confidant and he is currently immersed in the world of jazz, fusion and experimental music that is rooted in the grooves of jazz.

 

Since his inaugural solo exhibition at Malaka Spice, Pune, in the hazy recollection of 2002, Borah has orchestrated a symphony of visual poetry that is personal and idiosyncratic. From the gritty streets of urban decay to the ethereal whispers of abstract contemplation, his work transcends the constraints of convention, inviting viewers into a realm of introspective revelation.

 

He writes poetry and prose, and believes all of it is, eventually, a singular process — there is very little difference between images, words and sound. He writes about art sometimes and some of his work is available online. His proximity with writing is a result of his 14 year-long career as a journalist. During this period, he has written many columns and articles for top news organisations.

 

A voracious reader, he has a deep interest in literature, philosophy, aesthetics, art history, and science. He has also taught media ethics, aesthetics and a course on perception at Symbiosis College of Liberal Arts in Pune as a guest faculty.

 

While he is rarely in the public sphere as far as art is concerned, he has been featured by the Karin Weber Gallery in Hong Kong.

 

His prime interest is in exploring the self and the mystery of mortality. It is crucial for him to be unbound by the shackles of trends and targets. And, most importantly, he loves to enjoy himself as he sees no other tangible purpose of life.