From Odisha to Venice: Sudarsan Pattnaik’s ‘Jugalbandi’ paintings grab eyeballs in Italy

Internationally acclaimed sand artist and Padma Shri awardee Sudarsan Pattnaik from Odisha is representing India at the 18th edition of Contemporary Venice 2026, emerging as the only Indian artist participating in the prestigious global exhibition.

The exhibition is being held at the historic Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello in Venice and is organised by ITSLIQUID Group in collaboration with ACIT Venice – Italian-German Cultural Association.

Curated by Luca Curci, the exhibition features nearly 80 artists from more than 30 countries, showcasing a wide spectrum of contemporary art forms from across the globe.

Exhibition Inaugurated in Venice

The exhibition was officially inaugurated on March 6, 2026, with Pattnaik attending the opening ceremony and representing India among leading international artists.

His participation has drawn considerable attention, marking another milestone in the artist’s long-standing global recognition for his creative works.

‘Jugalbandi’ Paintings Make Global Debut

At the exhibition, Pattnaik is presenting his unique “Jugalbandi” paintings, a distinctive mixed-media series that blends natural sand with colour on canvas.

The artworks symbolise a fusion of Pattnaik’s artistic journey — from his early interest in painting to his globally acclaimed sand sculptures. Through these works, the artist explores themes of nature, human emotions, environmental balance and harmony between humanity and the earth.

Return to His First Love: Painting

In recent years, Pattnaik has returned to painting, which he describes as his first artistic passion. Over the past five years, he has developed a series of mixed-media artworks combining sand with paint, merging the temporary nature of sand with the permanence of canvas.

His recent exhibitions in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and New Delhi have received positive responses from art enthusiasts and critics alike.

Appreciation from Global Art Community

During the opening of the Venice exhibition, Pattnaik’s artworks received warm appreciation from visitors, artists and art lovers.

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Curator Luca Curci and the director of ITSLIQUID Group praised Pattnaik’s “Jugalbandi” paintings, highlighting the innovative blend of colour and natural sand and the deeper environmental message reflected in the works.

Through his art, Pattnaik continues to convey a universal message about the beauty of nature and humanity’s responsibility towards protecting it, emphasising that creativity can be a powerful voice for environmental awareness, cultural harmony and global responsibility.