learning from the field

Looking back at the beginning of 2024 and the end of 2023, I was fortunate to receive an incredible opportunity to work closely with one of South Asia’s most promising artists, and without a doubt, one of the finest mentors I’ve had the privilege to learn from in my journey with images. Working with Sarker Protick was an absolute delight—a transformative experience that allowed me to observe, work alongside, and deeply understand the philosophy behind his artistry.

Our daily conversations revolved around his deeper perspectives on time, reality, history, and power—central threads that shape his work. From discussions about music to the cosmos, our exchanges flowed seamlessly, spanning day and night.

While I had assisted him on previous projects, this experience was particularly special because it marked the longest period of fieldwork I had shared with him. This time, he entrusted me with the responsibility of filming alongside him on his project 300 Million Years, a significant gesture of trust and collaboration. The project later became part of the exhibition অঙ্গার (Awngar), showcased at CO/Berlin.

Working so closely with an artist of his calibre, and being part of such a meaningful project, has been one of the most fulfilling chapters of my art practicing journey.

Source - https://www.co-berlin.org/en/program/exhibitions/sarker-protick

Screen grab from the film 300 million years

This memoir is an act of looking back at the photographic excerpts from the fields that I made while making 300 million years with Protick. Dwarkanath Tagore’s dream, as he mentions quite often during shoot was something he was trying to understand through the decolonial lens and address Anthropocene from an unique vantage point. From Narayankuri colliery to Jharia coal field looking at the human-made black mountains was shocking. These landscapes, shaped by centuries of industrial extraction, presented a stark commentary on humanity’s impact on the planet—a core theme of the project.

Protick looking at a lamp post, Narayankuri coal mine, West Bengal

See you soon.