Sometimes it’s not what’s on our CVs or our academic qualifications that gives us that certain X Factor which propels us to success. Often it’s simply the ability to adapt, grow and have the confidence to challenge ourselves to step outside our comfort zones.
Tyndall’s goal is to attract and nurture people with diverse talents and excellent skills, enabling all to reach their full potential.
In celebration of the many talents that make up Tyndall, we are showcasing Souvik Kundu, a recent postgraduate student and Tyndall Alumni, from our Wireless Sensor Networks Group who is now an IC Signal Design Engineer with Analog Devices. His special hidden talent lies within the art of painting. It requires a keen eye for detail, practice and imagination.
What is your hidden talent?
I practice sketching and painting. I use different mediums and my favourites are charcoal on paper and acrylic on canvas. Realistic painting requires a specific skillset and a lot of patience. I try to be as realistic as I can and sometimes spend more than 20 hours on one sketch. Some of my artworks are very abstract and contain hidden meanings that reflect my mood and my perspective on life and love.
What sparked your interest?
I started painting at the age of 2, when my parents sent me to my first art tutor. My tutor inspired me and I found a sense of peacefulness whilst painting. I used to spend hours after hours painting and losing track of time. There are many artists that I admire; Salvatore Dali, Vladimir Volegov, Casey Baugh, Leonardo Da Vinci and Pablo Picasso, to name a few. I also practice photography, which helps in understanding light, proportion and other factors. The isolation of recent lockdowns motivated me to create more artworks as the act of creating something new always makes me feel good.
What was your role in Tyndall?
I was a postgraduate student working on decreasing the latency of haptic feedback technology for Human Computer Interaction in smart gloves. My role included PCB design, circuit simulation and embedded systems programming.
How did your hidden talent complement your role and/or enhance your research?
My research mostly comprised of designing PCB circuits and generating novel ideas or techniques to decrease the latency of the system. This improved the immersive behaviour in AR/VR environments and telerobotic operations. Art has always helped me to think differently, to think outside the box, giving me a creative outlet for generating new ideas for my research project.
I believe there is a strong connection between science and the arts. During my time at Tyndall, I received a €3000 grant from CONFIRM for public engagement with 10-12 years old students to enhance their thought process for innovation in science, using the arts. I successfully carried out one public engagement activity with more than 50 students where the students had to paint on the topic “How hospitals will look like in the year 2050?”
The artworks from the students were amazing and students enjoyed this public engagement activity very much. I loved how students were being motivated to think about science with the help of the arts.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to try your hidden talent?
Nothing is impossible, so, practice, practice and practice. Observe more, see the perspective, colour, shadows and light. Art is not about perfection, it’s about expressing yourself, so, stop thinking too much, just paint.
Explanation of one of Souvik's paintings: “We are stranger to ourselves”, Acrylic on Canvas, 2020
“Through-out our life we constantly redefine ourselves, going through unique experiences. These experiences tell us things about ourselves, things we never knew or things we thought we knew. But we never completely understand who we are. As we keep changing, we end up becoming a collection of masks; a wavering variant of ourselves to our closest friends, family and acquaintances. And sometimes, we are so self-absorbed in putting on the performance of our lives through this alias of ourselves; when we peek deep down into our own consciousness we are surprised by who we are.
Our brain is a collection of millions and millions of crisscrossed neurons, conducting uncountable electrical charges, constantly collecting and processing information and a plethora of chemical reactions that define everything about us; what we do, what we feel, what we think. And yet, despite all this activity and all this knowledge, we seldom know ourselves. We originate from a darkness that symbolizes the unknown. And as we progress through life, we see our true colours fading into view from the shadows of the unknown, forming the mask of who we perceive ourselves to be. And the revelation is always jaw-dropping.”
Explore more of Souvik’s incredible artwork here www.souvikkunduart.com.