Tripura artist Santa Deb has earned the 65th Lalit Kala Akademi National Award in New Delhi for her ceramic sculpture ‘Attraction of Simplicity’, becoming the first woman ceramic sculptor from the State to receive the national honour.
Key Takeaways
- Santa Deb received the 65th Lalit Kala Akademi National Award for ‘Attraction of Simplicity’.
- She is the first woman ceramic sculptor from Tripura to receive the national honour.
- Her award-winning sculpture draws on folk art, social realities, freedom and women’s pursuit of dreams.
Tripura has reached another notable milestone in the field of painting and sculpture with artist Santa Deb receiving the 65th National Award of the Lalit Kala Akademi for her ceramic sculpture, ‘Attraction of Simplicity’.
The Akademi announced the list of selected awardees at the 65th National Exhibition of Art in New Delhi on September 27.
The recognition has particular significance for ceramic art in the region. Deb is the first woman ceramic sculptor from the state to receive the Lalit Kala Akademi national honour. Six artists from Tripura had previously received the Akademi Award.
Along with the national recognition, Deb will receive prize money of Rs 2 lakh. Her award-winning sculpture has also been sold for Rs 4 lakh.
Folk art shapes ‘Attraction of Simplicity’
Speaking exclusively to the Editor-in-Chief of enewstime.in, Deb explained the ideas and experiences behind her award-winning sculpture.
Folk art has remained central to her artistic journey. Her artistic identity has developed through a dialogue between traditional folk art and contemporary expression. Her continued connection with folk traditions has also strengthened her bond with her cultural heritage.
Deb views folk art as a reflection of a community’s social condition, spiritual beliefs, religious values and cultural identity. For her, it acts as a mirror of society and grows from the lives and experiences of ordinary people.
She has brought these ideas into ‘Attraction of Simplicity’. Through the sculpture, she explores social structure, traditions, belief systems, values and the realities that shape collective life.
Childhood memories inspire the work
The title of the sculpture also connects with Deb’s early exposure to clay art.
Since childhood, she has watched her mother create clay dolls by hand. Their simplicity fascinated and inspired her. Those experiences helped shape her understanding that meaningful art does not always require complex forms.
The simple form, she believes, can still reveal deeper truths about life and reality. That idea became an important part of the artistic expression in ‘Attraction of Simplicity’.
Masks represent identities and hidden faces
Deb uses masks in the sculpture to represent the many identities and hidden faces found within society.
She has combined the masks with birds, which symbolise freedom and liberation. The idea of living freely holds particular importance in her artistic expression.
The sculpture also features a group of young women travelling on the backs of the birds towards an infinite horizon.
Their journey represents the pursuit of dreams. As they rise above social constraints, they leave behind the symbolic masks they once carried. The journey then moves towards self-discovery, hope and endless possibilities.
Through these elements, Deb brings together folk-art influences and contemporary expression while addressing social realities and the desire for freedom.
6,175 artworks submitted for national exhibition
The 65th National Exhibition of Art received a strong response from artists across India.
According to the PIB Press Release, the Lalit Kala Akademi received 6,175 artworks from 2,495 artists representing 27 States and Union Territories.
The First-Tier Jury selected 270 artworks for presentation at the exhibition after a rigorous selection process.
The selected works covered several artistic practices, materials and techniques. These included painting, sculpture, printmaking, drawing and mixed media.
The Second-Tier Jury then selected 20 artworks by 20 artists for the Lalit Kala Akademi Awards.
Deb’s ‘Attraction of Simplicity’ emerged among these 20 award-winning works.
Award highlights Tripura’s growing art landscape
Deb’s national recognition has generated discussion among artists in Tripura. Many members of the state’s art community see the honour as a reflection of the progress of artistic activities in Tripura over the past five to six years.
The recognition also brings attention to the institutions and spaces that support artists in the state.
The only Lalit Kala centre in Northeast India currently operates temporarily at Nazrul Khola Khetra in Agartala. Deb works there as an artist.
The development therefore marks an important moment not only for Deb but also for Tripura’s wider cultural community. Her achievement gives particular visibility to ceramic sculpture and demonstrates how folk-art influences can find expression through contemporary artistic practice.
President Droupadi Murmu is also scheduled to felicitate Deb and the other 19 awardees in October.
For Tripura, Santa Deb’s national recognition adds a significant new chapter to the state’s artistic history, with ‘Attraction of Simplicity’ placing ceramic sculpture and its folk-art roots at the centre of that achievement.