Working on Global Warming and the nature’s fight against digital cosmopolitan life, Indian Young Artist Pradosh Swain

Not very long ago, many scientists and researchers were hoping that global warming would have a positive effect on the agricultural yield because of the role that carbon dioxide plays photosynthesis. However, on the contrary, it has been resulting in the destruction of several crops. In Iceland, rising temperatures have made sowing of barley easier and more effective than it was twenty years from now. This is expected to cut the area under maize – the country’s staple crop – by at least 33 percent. The reduction in rainfall has turned vast expanses of land into deserts.

It is important to understand that the effects of global warming that we are experiencing today are moderate compared to what the future will see if we do not take preventative action. Researchers and environmental experts are stressing that the effects of global warming will continue on a constant inclined curve over the next century. Temperatures will continue heating up a little bit each decade until the earth’s temperatures reach the sweltering levels. They believe that the earth’s temperatures will rise between two to nine degrees Fahrenheit by 2050. Increase in temperature will trigger the rise of sea level, which in turn result in salt-water intrusion into groundwater in some regions. This will reduce the availability of water for drinking and agricultural purposes in coastal zones. Further, increase in evaporation will reduce the effectiveness of reservoirs. The retreating of glaciers will have a number of different effects on water supply. A reduction in runoff will affect ability to irrigate crops adversely.

This is the subject Indian young artist Pradosh Swain working on.

At the very beginning of his art career, he started the nature study, and over the years it has become a part of his daily life. City of Temples, his native town Bhubaneswar, has greatly inspired him to study and create a new spread of water colour technique, for which he has been honored with Orissa State Award in 1995. “This technique has fascinated me after college years”, he says. He has traveled different states in India and Nepal. Pradosh has the credit of doing the highest number of water colour paintings amongst contemporary artists in Orissa. In this journey, he also did a series of smallest different templescape size (1cm x 1cm) and the longest 8ft x 160ft on FIFA World Cup Year 2006, which found a proud place in Orissa State Museum and has been published by different print media and aired by various TV channels. Pradosh has organized and participated in numerous art exhibitions across the country and is attracted towards contemporary art field from 1997. He came to Delhi and started photo realism with surrealistic touch. “It was a big challenge for me to enter this contemporary art world, but my simple concept and visual approach made me very close to my viewer”, he recalls.

He has been well appreciated by viewers and it has motivated him to create more and more art works. Pradosh Swain came to limelight when art curator Dr. Alka Pandey discovered him and recognize him as an upcoming young artist by including his works in her curatorial show this year. Pradosh’s work has been showcased in a number of private galleries in India like Ashok Art Gallery, Mon Art Gallery and Galleria at their shows in recent past.

Now-a-days he is working on Global Warming and the nature’s fight against digital cosmopolitan life. Use of the commonly used day to day elements make his paintings interesting and unique. After showcasing his works at Art Expo India, Mumbai, Ashok Art Gallery is going to put his works as a special exhibit at forthcoming India Art Summit 2008. He is an Indian young artist to watch for sure. Pradosh Swain lives and works in New Delhi.
PRADOSH SWAIN

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