Artwork
Mixed media
“Bread & Butter” delves into the intricate relationship between humans and nature, exploring the interplay of patterns, routines, and the profound connection they share. The artwork portrays the cyclical nature of human existence alongside the ever-evolving rhythms of the natural world. By juxtaposing blooming flowers with the bustling cycles of city life, it seeks to highlight the parallelism between human routines and the inherent patterns found in nature. The footage, many filmed and curated from Atlanta, serves as a visual narrative of a day in the life, depicting the interconnectedness of human experiences and their relationships within the broader context of the natural environment.
The title stems from “earning their bread and butter", an idiomatic expression that means making a living or earning a basic income to sustain one's livelihood and meet essential needs, using bread & butter as the metaphor to this earned life in the city.
In this piece, the emphasis is placed on the delicate balance between humans and nature, their mutual dependence. Through a combination of 3D rendered, digitally illustrated elements, and film footage, "Bread & Butter" aims to ignite meaningful dialogues and inspire introspection. It urges viewers to consider the consequences of their actions and inactions, and the responsibility we bear collectively in safeguarding the delicate balance between humanity and the natural world and it does so by asking the viewer to reflect on their own relationships and their daily lives.
Through the gradual incorporation of human-human relationships within the visualizations, the artwork tries to provoke reflections on the repercussions of environmental changes and pollution, the challenges faced by both humans and nature in their ongoing struggle for survival. It serves as a poignant reminder of the urgent need to address the environmental crisis and its profound impact on the intricate human-nature and human-human nexus. It encourages a shift in consciousness, challenging the status quo and advocating for a more harmonious coexistence with nature.
The artwork also provokes questions about the authority and responsibility of individuals, corporations, governments, and societies in addressing the environmental challenges we face today. When city folks are busy trying to “earn their bread & butter”, who is going to bring the change? Who is expected to?
"Bread & Butter" tries to act as a catalyst for change, asking viewers to break free from the cycle of ignorance and inaction, and embrace a future where humans and nature thrive in unity.
Supratim Pait is a multidisciplinary Designer and Artist. He is exploring how media interactions are shaped by social and cultural contexts in his Masters in Digital Media at Georgia Tech. He is trained in fine arts and holds a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science & Engineering. After self-teaching himself design, his previous work experience involves working with IBM and Mercedes Benz as an Experience Designer. As an artist, he has led teams at university level for art projects, events, and community building. Hailing from India and growing up in a place where people find happiness in hardships, his work often explores beauty in the mundane and ordinary. He strongly believes in telling stories that are not told in a way it isn’t thought of. Pushing to use art as a medium to empower the underserved, his art plays with various canvases, mixture of mediums, heavy colorful aesthetics and is deeply rooted in trying to make people see things they would have not realized.