Born 1981, Tripura, India
Lives and works in Kolkata, India

Rathin Barman gathers stories of migration and home-building in order to study the social fabric of the city, bringing to the surface the idiosyncrasies ingrained in urban architecture. Barman spends time in migrant neighbourhoods in Kolkata, researching the history and transformation of buildings and gathering stories from families and communities. In particular, he considers how ambiguous ownership and tenancy structures result in hybrid communities occupying buildings in different ways, leaving visible traces in the architecture.

In the sculptures inspired by his research, Barman combines everyday industrial materials such as concrete and steel with more precious materials — polished brass, for example —that reflect transformations in buildings as they evolve through aspirations of grandeur, clandestine adaptation and changes of economic necessity. From monumental installations to small, detailed sculptures, Barman’s works contemplate nuances in urban structures as they evolve from their original design and intended use in response to the developing social needs of syncretic local cultures.