Nilanjan Das’ works stem from personal experiences as well as stories of lovers being harassed, not only by agents of law enforcement, but also the public that paramounts normative righteousness. The artist imparts an aesthetic dynamism to these prints by inserting markers of separation, thus transforming their inherent perceptions, consequently also urging us to question our collective consciousness.

In his artworks, Nilanjan assumes the role of an urban planner, redefining and rectifying public spaces into aligning them with acceptable standards of morality. His works compel the viewers to re-look their surroundings, and identify the intangible markers of public surveillance hidden in plain sight. By documenting empty benches in public spaces that often provide recluse to lovers, Nilanjan’s practice highlights their double presence - that of providing comfort and rest and also confinement and isolation. His serigraphs, interestingly, carry an uncanny resemblance with our post-pandemic measures of social distancing, thus adding another layer of subtext to the artist’s process.