Who built the Artwork 'Tree of Life'?

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Accepted Answer

The correct option is 3:
The artwork 'Tree of Life' was created by the multidisciplinary Indian maestro, **Satish Gujral**. Gujral was an internationally acclaimed painter, muralist, and one of the most prominent sculptors and architects in post-independence India. The 'Tree of Life' is a significant example of his sculptural work, specifically a semi-abstract form created primarily from **burnt wood**, sometimes described as hand-carved Burmese teakwood, often incorporating materials like pigment, beads, and shells to form its complex, labyrinthine structure. This piece showcases his distinctive exploration of texture, material, and volume in modern Indian art, a departure from traditional fine art.

The incorrect option is 1:
**Yamini Roy** was an influential figure in modern Indian art, primarily celebrated as a painter. Her main contribution was her conscious break from Western academic art to incorporate indigenous folk traditions, such as the Kalighat painting style, into her work. She is recognized for her simplified forms, bold lines, and use of bright, earthy colors, typically working in tempera on canvas or cloth. She focused almost exclusively on painting, and the 'Tree of Life' sculpture is entirely outside her established body of work, medium, and subject matter.

The incorrect option is 2:
**K. K. Hebbar** was an eminent Indian painter, recognized for his dynamic expressionist style and mastery of line and color. His works often depicted themes of social life, music, dance, and Indian festivals with a strong sense of movement and rhythm. While he was a prominent figure in the Bombay Progressive Artists' Group, his artistic output was overwhelmingly concentrated in the medium of painting and drawing. He did not specialize in the large-scale, heavy wood and mixed-media sculptures characteristic of Gujral’s 'Tree of Life'.

The incorrect option is 4:
**N. S. Bendre** was a pivotal Indian painter known for his landscapes and an early commitment to post-impressionist techniques, later experimenting with abstract and cubist influences. As the head of the Department of Fine Arts at Baroda, he was celebrated for his contributions to painting and art pedagogy, rather than large-scale sculptural installations. The 'Tree of Life' is not associated with his creative career, which maintained a strong emphasis on two-dimensional work throughout his artistic journey.