I crafted 90 faces – some of them completely hollow, some of them cladded with fur, some of them soft and close to the form of nature, made of leaves and foliage. The main frame is automobile pass, which is a light structure, but I’ve used fabric, fur, brass, copper, and many other materials too.

Through this installation I wanted to depict all the different ways we can experience ourselves. Thousands of emotions may often flit chaotically through our mind. Sometimes we feel hollow and empty, sometimes we feel complete, sometimes we move through life mechanically and sometimes with softness. If we are viewed from the outside we may give the impression that we carry one, cohesive mind and face – while internally we move through multitudes of feelings.

This is one aspect of the series. The other is a little more personal. Being a small-town boy, arriving at an urban city like Kolkata gave me a chance to observe a wide array of people. The people around me all differ in their experiences of life, and how they communicate their interiorities to others.

Some of them are fluid, non-judgmental and friendly. Some of them are gnarled and twisted. But faces can be inscrutable, difficult to read. When people come up to me, I often notice contradictions in the way they talk and practice their lives. Sometimes they alter their speech when they address me. I come from a simple environment, with a simple philosophy. I want to harvest togetherness, kindness and a closeness to nature.

A thousand memories might cling to us, but the ones worth preserving are those that connect us to this beautiful world and its people. External spaces might change, but the mind can remain fertile, positive and genuine.