Formal binaries—light and shadow, virtual movement (through video) and physical movement (through the works' kinetic properties), human imagery and mechanical constructions—comprise Mandal's structures, mirroring the artist's perceptions of the tenuous balance between stasis and change, universality and individual subjectivity, formally reflecting the political tensions of the Indian subcontinent. In Caged Sacks (2007–08), bright theatrical lights create chiaroscuro-like shadows around nine steel cages, six of which contain motors hidden by common jute sacks, giving them the appearance of containing writhing bodies. Subsequent works incorporate a symbol of ephemeral enjoyment, soap bubbles, which are quickly and poignantly destroyed on their immediate encounter with a steel surface. To fuel the release of bubbles in Living Off the Grid (2009), Mandal employed solar panels outside the gallery, a light-based power source that could be easily cut off by a viewer's hand. A formal representation of the everyday life experienced by Mandal's father and grandmother, who spent their lives on and off the grid due to the lack of reliable electricity, the work demonstrates the historical contingency of state infrastructure and social order. Mandal is the recipient of several national awards and was artist in residence at the Khoj International Residency, New Delhi (2007) and the Britto International Artists Workshop, Tepantor Film City, Bhaluka, Bangladesh (2008). He has had solo exhibitions at the Academy of Fine Arts, Calcutta (1992); Art Heritage Gallery, New Delhi (1998); and GALLERYSKE, Bangalore, India (2007). He also participated in the Nanjing Triennial, China (2008), and SH Contemporary, Shanghai (2008). He lives and works in New Delhi.