Sunil Puljun uses charcoal, pencils and acrylic paint in primarily black and grey hues. Sand and collage materials are occasionally used to add depth and structure to the surface of his work. The figures in his work are dark silhouettes exclusive of recognizable features and characteristics. Despite (or perhaps because of) the dark coloring and the unidentifiable human characters, the work has a profound emotional quality. The general feel of the work is somber and the implied circumstances an enigma.

This is indeed the intention of the artist. Although in the past he painted primarily things he thought of as beautiful, now he wants to make people think about other relevant issues in society. This change in theme was in part inspired by his friendship with artist Kurt Nahar and his strong socially motivated art. Puljun presently looks beyond the surface. Life is not only about pleasant and beautiful things. He focuses on human nature and its effect on society as a whole. Subjects such as war, greed, man’s hunger for power, poverty and abuse are now the main theme of his art. “Although you may see the shape of a child running or playing in my work, the composition as a whole suggests that there is more there than just innocent play. There is a background; there are circumstances and conditions in the child’s life that are not so carefree. A smile is not always a smile”. Words are often added to elaborate on the theme and certain symbolisms also appear in the work. Recognizable in almost in every painting is a bright white mass which seems to emit an ominous threat or source of evil. It is often portrayed as radiating from the bottom of the work up towards the subject, implying in many cases according to the artist, the negative energy coming down from what many perceive to be the hell, the source of evil…. But evil can come from many sources and the direction may vary.

The work of Puljun is about the sadness, the fear, the abuse and the violence that often lurk beneath the surface, but are undeniably a part of many people’s lives in this day and age. But in most cases the cause of misery is mankind, the victims usually the innocent.