Odisha Sand Artist Sudarshan Pattnaik Blends Paintings and Nature in Acclaimed Exhibition

In November 2025, renowned sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik presented his third gallery exhibition, "Nature's Rhythm: Sand and Sublime," at the Lalit Kala Akademi in Chennai. The exhibition, which had previously been showcased in Kolkata and New Delhi, brought together Pattnaik's two artistic worlds - paintings and sand art.

Comprising over 50 artworks, the exhibition explored the conflicts arising from human interventions on nature and the environment. Each piece featured an element of nature, with Pattnaik using sand from his hometown of Puri, Odisha, where he first began his sand art journey. One painting, for instance, depicted the plight of Olive Ridley turtles that migrate to India's east coast for nesting, only to be found dead due to entanglement in fishing nets from illegal trawling.

Pattnaik's path to becoming an acclaimed artist was not an easy one. As a child, he worked in a tea shop near the Jagannath Temple, using the money he earned to buy paints and brushes to create watercolor paintings that tourists would admire. However, he soon gained recognition for his sand art, which he started pursuing due to the lack of resources to buy traditional art supplies.

Despite the hardships, Pattnaik persevered and went on to become the youngest president of the Lalit Kala Akademi Odisha. He believes that art holds an important role in spreading positivity and raising awareness in society, which is evident in his latest exhibition that explores the delicate balance between human activity and the natural world.