Sumit Roy : Scaling up Performance Art

Who Is The Roy?

[caption id="attachment_3403" align="alignnone" width="960"] Photo Credits: Archisman Misra[/caption] Sumit Roy is a Graphic Designer, Artist, Rapper and Storyteller based out of New Delhi and is one of the few artists that has your attention from the very first moment you set your eyes on his artwork or listen to his dope rhymes which are centered around the reality of living in a complex and diverse democracy.

The Rapper & Storyteller

Roy has a very raw and real approach to his rhymes and we love the fact that he talks about relevant socio-political issues. The first track of his I ever came across was the incredible ‘Uncle Namaste’. Released earlier last year, this single HAS to be one of the tightest lyrical compositions of recent times. In the single, he mentions relevant issues like Dowry, Demonetization, Caste Discrimination and the apathy towards the LGBT community. The tight music to which he’s rapping was produced by Scatterbrained & Troyboi and was Mixed & Mastered by Abhishek Sekhri /Kintsugi Studios. You gotta check it out for yourself! [embed]https://youtu.be/JdH8rJdoIyQ[/embed]

The Artist &  Visual Wizard

Roy who is an alumnus of the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda is definitely one of the most inventive and genuine artists to have come through in recent times. Whether it’s his self-taught yet incredible graphic art or his inherited aesthetic, we’re always in awe of his perception of the world through his art!

The Performance Artist

[caption id="attachment_3398" align="alignnone" width="960"] Sumit Roy & Aastha Kaul at the preview of 'I HOPE TO MATCH YOUR FURNITURE'[/caption] Sumit’s very first performance art show titled ‘I HOPE TO MATCH YOUR FURNITURE’ curated by Latitude 28, previewed on the 13th January 2018 at Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. His art which is an extension of global, mainstream pop culture is truly astounding! He represents and speaks for a generation of an urban subculture who grew up in the face of globalization and corporatization. Check out the dope video for the official preview which is shot by Poet Of The Black aka Archisman Misra and the music is by Dub Sharma. [embed]https://youtu.be/JblesXDYWNQ[/embed]

“I think of I HOPE TO MATCH YOUR FURNITURE as my attempt to bring together disparate strands of thought. My aim is to design a détente between the distinct and perhaps even discordant threads of fine art and rap, Indian and Western aesthetic sensibilities. The white cube of the gallery space is often perceived as cold and unwelcoming while rap music is often thought to be a lower art form, emerging as it did from the streets. The heart of my show will be a rap performance at the opening to set the tone for the exhibition. While the messaging is not overtly political, it is, in a sense disruptive, disturbing the current status quo and presenting a viewpoint that is, I hope subtle but also catalyzing for an audience that would not traditionally consume the kind of art and the kind of performance I am presenting to them.” said Sumit about his ongoing show. [caption id="attachment_3401" align="alignnone" width="960"] The Roy, doing what he does best![/caption]

The preview was met with music & art enthusiasts from all over who came out to see the man in his element and that he was indeed. His freestyle rap which was presented to the audience with his beautiful larger than life canvases as the backdrop left people speechless.

“Sumit’s show was a perfect blend of the sound of his music which translated into his art. His show is a perfect example of how music and art can come together to create a new and more coherent art form”  Srishti Das, Business Analyst and Content Specialist, Loudest.in

[caption id="attachment_3402" align="alignnone" width="960"] ‘I HOPE TO MATCH YOUR FURNITURE’[/caption] For more of Roy’s music & art, follow him on: Youtube Website