As part of the project documenting artist Sanjay Kumar’s four-decade artistic journey, Faandee led a comprehensive research initiative to compile and construct the biographical monograph, “Sanjay Kumar – The Traveller of Rational Path”.
The research process involved extensive in-person interviews with the artist and his associates, conducted before and after the COVID-19 lockdown. Faandee’s team engaged deeply with the artist’s studio archives, sifting through personal documentation, early works, exhibition materials, and unpublished writings to trace the evolution of Sanjay Kumar’s practice, shaped significantly by the rational and philosophical thoughts of Buddha and Osho.
A critical part of the research included:
- Cataloguing artworks across different periods of the artist’s practice.
- Recording oral histories and personal anecdotes reflecting pivotal moments in the artist’s life and career.
- Compiling archival photographs documenting exhibitions, installations, and community projects.
- Mapping thematic evolutions across series such as The Buddha, The Parikrama, and Bhikshamdehi.
- Documenting philanthropic initiatives through Studio Pannadwar, highlighting Kumar’s contribution to community arts.
The resulting publication, “Sanjay Kumar – The Traveller of Rational Path,” is a 224-page monograph illustrated with approximately 150 colour plates, offering rich visual and narrative insights into the artist’s philosophical grounding, formative years, major works, and enduring legacy in the Indian contemporary art landscape.
