Field Review | Artist Interview Series
In conversation with
Mukul Chandra Barman
Mukul Chandra Barman is a Bangladeshi visual artist whose practice explores abstraction, emotion, memory, and the inner landscapes of human experience. Working primarily with acrylic and mixed media, he creates layered compositions through gesture, texture, colour, and spontaneous marks. His works often move between structured and intuitive forms, reflecting moments of silence, movement, tension, and transformation. Through abstraction, Barman seeks to create visual spaces that invite viewers to connect with their own emotions and interpretations.
From:
Bangladesh
Artist Statement
My artistic practice is an exploration of inner experience through abstraction. I am interested in the relationship between emotion, memory, movement, silence, and colour. Rather than representing reality directly, I use layers, textures, gestures, and fragmented forms to create spaces where feelings can exist without fixed definitions.
My process is intuitive and experimental. Each work develops through a dialogue between control and spontaneity, construction and destruction. I often allow marks, colours, and textures to interact freely until a visual rhythm begins to emerge. Through my paintings, I hope to create an open space where viewers can bring their own memories, emotions, and interpretations.
Tell us about yourself and your artistic background.
I am a Bangladeshi visual artist working primarily with abstraction and mixed media. My journey as an artist has developed through continuous experimentation with colour, texture, form, and gesture. Over time, I became increasingly interested in using abstraction as a way to explore emotions, memories, and inner experiences. My practice continues to evolve through observation, experimentation, and a constant curiosity about the possibilities of visual language.
How would you describe your artistic practice?
I would describe my artistic practice as intuitive, experimental, and process-driven. I work mainly through abstraction, using layers of colour, texture, gesture, and fragmented forms. My process often begins without a fixed image in mind, allowing the work to develop gradually through spontaneous decisions and visual relationships.
What themes or ideas are most important in your work?
The most important themes in my work are inner emotion, memory, silence, movement, and transformation. I am interested in the things that are often difficult to express through words. Abstraction allows me to explore these experiences without limiting them to a single narrative or meaning.
What inspires your creative process?
My creative process is inspired by everyday experiences, emotions, memories, and the visual rhythms I encounter around me. I am also inspired by the unexpected—accidental marks, changing textures, and spontaneous relationships between colours and forms. Often, the process of making itself becomes an important source of inspiration.
Can you tell us about a recent artwork or project?
My recent works continue my exploration of abstraction through layered forms, energetic gestures, and contrasting colours. In these paintings, I am interested in creating a sense of movement and emotional tension while allowing fragments and forms to interact freely. The works are developed gradually, with each layer responding to the previous one.
What challenges have influenced your development as an artist?
One of the most important challenges in my development has been learning to trust uncertainty. In an abstract practice, there is often no predetermined destination, and the work can change direction many times during the process. Learning to accept experimentation, mistakes, and unexpected results has helped me develop a more open and confident approach to my practice.
What role does art play in your life today?
Art is an essential part of how I understand and communicate with the world. It gives me a space to reflect, experiment, and transform experiences into visual form. Today, art is not only my profession and practice but also an ongoing process of learning and discovering new possibilities.
What are you currently working on?
I am currently continuing my exploration of abstraction through new combinations of colour, texture, and layered forms. I am particularly interested in developing works that create a balance between spontaneity and structure, allowing intuitive gestures to coexist with more deliberate visual decisions.
What are your future goals as an artist?
My future goal is to continue developing a stronger and more distinctive visual language through experimentation and sustained practice. I hope to exhibit my work internationally, collaborate with artists and institutions from different cultural contexts, and engage with wider audiences through exhibitions and creative projects.
