THE INDIAN ART NEWS

FINDING REALISM THROUGH ABSTRACTION

2007-03-19T23:58:00.000-07:00

In the hierarchy of subject matter in art, landscape painting was not considered significant in an arts oeuvre. But now it is regarded as a separate genre or category in art. This landscapes that explore the essence of nature becomes a language of self-expression as well as ideology. Sudhangsu as a landscape painter finds himself attracted to remote spectacular and historically charged landscape. Not only historical but his every painting conveys a dramatic view that is more romantic. Once he finds his subject matter, he renders it with a combination of raw energy and savvy intelligence that allows him to simplify and clarify his vision of world without loosing the physical sense of excitement of being in the field. Despite of geographic isolation of many of his subject, however, Sudhangsu experimented with his work. “I want to freeze these moments. It is not just reproducing what the necked eyes see. It was watching, understanding and then getting close enough to get the story. And this story I am trying to tell with grays which has reached a certain height”.

Landscape painting as a separate genre came to India through artist travelers during the process of colonization of sub-continent in 17th century. Imperial conquest of geographical space and it’s inescapable relation to the genre of landscape painting is well documented discourse but it sets up an interesting point of departure for us to examine the works of landscape artists like Sudhangsu. The various forms of open Nature become a powerful instrument in the evolution of his work.

Sudhangsu creates dynamic landscapes with element of realism and abstraction. He is well aware of benefits and drawback that came with being a painter of landscape. In an attempt to assert the anatomy of the art work and based on appeal on it’s ‘Surface effects’ painter like Sudhangsu travelled widely in search of spiritual communication with nature. The compelling image of the artist as an isolated loner in search of life altering experience rushes through most accounts of his personality and his painting as well.

In book of Barbara Whelpton’s ‘Art appreciation’, he defines the beauty of art, to convey, “Few of us can define beauty beyond the pedestrian combination of qualities delighting the eyes, and still fewer use the world with direction… A beautiful landscape painting is usually a painting, irrespective of it’s quality, of a stretch of beautiful countryside, and the qualifying word really states weather the ‘beautiful’ object has been convincingly represented in picture”. In this context, he is not interested in photographic likeness, which is why the painting gives an impression of abstract form. “I am less interested in actual likeness of things in setting up relationship between theme and the background. I paint anything that attracts my attention in some way or the other by shape colour or by some association which to me is significant” the artist has written in his book on his own painting. He treats his any painting like landscape, figurative as a psychic life, hustle and bustle but rather than it’s agglomeration of geometric shapes, volumes, shadows, and colours. Rarely have figurative been depicted as so quite, so inactive, so innocent, and so abstract. They do pray rather than protest. He also combines styles on his canvas with abstract background. Concurrently, if his delineation of shapes can be described as ‘hard-edge’, his handling of paints is often gestural. His interest is in seeking out some special mood or quality, such as changing light or the pattern of rocks and subtle colour variation. Sudhangsu Bandyopadhyay’s work reminds us the categories in art such as realism and abstraction are rather than artificial line demarcation. And his abstract art stresses the actual quality of paintings, colour, and pattern that is most poetic and his work is a kind of dream quality, which is imaginative, but real and appeals emotions.

Sudhangsu is a painter who responds to the spirit of a place by bearing a technique and approach. He uses minimum lines done with colour. His paintings are powerfully executed in broad breezy horizonal strokes with a few lines. He starts with a graphite drawing, laying out the elements of the composition – or he may just start sketching with wash on his canvas. “I don’t have an inflexible approach as to how I go about it”, says the artist. By allowing the subject to dictate the technique, Sudhangsu manages to produce work that varies in weight, density, and palette. He challenges himself to be alive to flexible in approach, generally begging with a broad sketch of composition. He always does not compromise with a single theme whenever he paints something on his canvas. “Even I can rape my canvas”. This very feeling shows his artistic contribution.

The employment of dissonant non-realistic colours and expressionistic stoke can be traced to the Fauvist-expressionist model in European art, where the subject is not reproduced actually, but portrayed to express the heightened emotional and psychological state of artist. “I hope that the painting suggest a certain state of mind”, he says.

Apart from his oil and watercolour, his pestle colour and his colour sketch are done effortlessly. Numerous works in the series of “colour shadow’, ‘reaching out”, “towards Ajanta”, and his very recent work like “fiction and space between” have a structured space images and integrated by ambiguous to pattern. In the opinion of the artist, “I have always tried to find where does the colours in nature begin and how does it go beyond colours. In between my space is born with a new catharsis of colour”.

He uses strong colour – especially red, brown, yellow ochre, black and juxtaposed with white – to depict simplified figure and space. To this, he adds organic and curved lines across the surface which he creates a very successful illusion of motion. There is a great deal of mental action in these painting. The intensity of colour creates an atmosphere that is both rich pregnant personal resonances. This is evident in the artist’s taste for earthly pleasure as seen in dazzling colours and vigorous form. In 1991 – 1995 he had gone to German as an art student with a full scholarship and during that time he was introduced to European art and their uses of colour and how the colour stroke can change the moods of atmosphere. So his uses of colour and lines are close to that of the German Expressionist although he has a great Indian tradition.

Hailing from an artistic family, Sudhangsu has studied painting, sculpture and art history at Kolkata’s Govt. College of Art and Craft before he went to German. He has received numerous national and regional awards for his paintings, including West Bengal State Academy award in oil painting (1990), as well as an award in drawing from S.C.Z.C.C at Nagpur (1998) and he had participated in an auction at Christies (Australia) in 1998. A very successful artist, Sudhangsu’s works were brought by the collectors from London to Germany.

Accordingly, Sudhangsu, award wining oil and pastel colourist who have been teaching art at St.Thomas School in Kolkata. He always tells that a painting is a two-dimensional design, a pattern of interesting shapes of clearly separate values. “If you close your eyes, you will often see all mental vision are abstract” he says. As a result all of his composition develops out of this abstract structure. So his landscape in oil or any medium are built with numerous dabs, swipes and broad stroke of thick paint working out clumps of trees, distant sky, boats on riverbank, fishing nets, rickshaws etc. He abandoned the locality to the visible world, infusing their views with a hunting spirit, an expressive energy that translated the physical stimulus into psychological perception.

At the end we can say any of his compositions illustrate a constant flux between real and surreal, and have an appeal that is sensual and lyrical, almost poetic in flavor.

MITHUN PRAMANIK

Tanup Nath

2007-03-18T03:21:00.000-07:00

Tanup Nath studied painting in Kala Bhavan, Visva Bharati, Shantiniketan and "received his master degree with 1st class. Since his days as a student in Kala Bhavan, Tanup was passionately involved in his work and could produce a large body of work which showed sign of extraordinary skill and originality.

In his presents show Tanup has displayed few of his earlier works and more of his recent works.

Tanup's drawings or paintings are charged with physical energy and sensuality along with deep aesthetic charm and expressiveness. His distortion of forms of human figures, male or female, with spontaneous rhythmic twists and truns and their gestures are unique and individualistic. He has compulsive desire, a very spontaneous act, to create such distorted forms and figures. His earlier works were drawn or painted mostly with colours mixed with grey or black. His recent works are a feast of eyes with brilliant colours: red, blue or orange. He creates a world of fantasy and unreality. They are full of vibration and joyfulness.

Jogen Chowdhury

Eminent Artist

The Planet of Indian Contemporary Art, Finest resource of India art, Online art gallery, artist directory...

2007-03-17T02:39:00.000-07:00

The Planet of Indian Contemporary Art, Finest resource of India art, Online art gallery, artist directory...

APPEARANCE AND REALITY

2007-03-15T05:57:00.000-07:00

A painting is called abstract when it is almostimpossible to recognize in it the slightest trace ofthat outward, objective reality which makes up thenormal background of everyday life। So this order ofnon-referential or non-idea work has perforce to benamed abstract। Still, even when a work is thusabstract we may yet discern shapes and forms in it, asfor instance a cloud, even though the painter had notintended it।Well, like some other artists of the day, this is whatChandan Das is wanting to do। Over the last fewyears, at the least, he has tried to perfect, and withsuccess, the mode of an all colour composition, whicheven when it seems to have evolved over the years, yetin genre remains about the same। Many incarnationsof this order have been achieved by the artist in suchwork, with subtlety of nuance. Of course, most goodart does the same. But here it is of the utmostimportance. Whatever he does is not in any senseaccidental or chancy. Das is careful to trace out thepermutations and combinations as are possible inshades of visual meaning through pigments. And he hasits particular craft knowledge to satisfaction. Feelings are evoked which may be tender or refined. The point of the whole exercise is to keep out thegrossness of loud colour. To that extent he hardlyever goes wrong. And this trait is a positive thing,considering that the human environment is right nowuncouth with vulgar sensations by the dozen. Thus do art works carry out their ministration. Chandan Das tries to soothe cluttered and weary minds. Thus his work is a magic means of discovering theworld; of going beyond appearance to reach what hethinks is the essence of things. He has knack for thedelicate plastic properties of paint. Certainly, itmay call out a choice response from a body of viewers.Art has many mansions, and stages, so one never knowswhich way any artist's anima will turn in time tocome. But, for the moment, this is artist's artistictruth. His creations are there at Lokayata Gallery inHauz Khas village for you to view and enjoy.

Keshav Malik

Art critic

Perception of my works

2007-03-15T05:55:00.000-07:00

My paintings are a hidden form of art, in a way'abstract painting' or so to say 'deformed art'। Likethe basics in music - SA RE GA MA PA DA NI SA -needing follow-ups leading to perfection.The canvas gets its shape by using layer of colours tothe fulfillment of the artist. The theme of mypaintings is EMOTION OF MYSELF.I have tried to give shape to my emotions on thecanvas. Visualising is like weaving a dream, on acanvas, with some realistics, as per the perception ofthe artist, including colour and shape of waterdeveloping on human emotions into the painting interms of friendship, followed by love and maturing inpeace of mind. Inner pain or sorrow can not beexperienced by the outsider, though can be gauged bythe viewer to some extent. Effort has been made totranscribe on the canvas for the viewer to besomewhere near the stage of feeling.

Emotion of Myself - Chandan Das

2007-03-15T05:48:00.000-07:00

“ Of all the acts abstract painting is the most difficult. It demands that you know how to draw well, that you have a heightened sensitivity for composition and for colours, and that you be a true poet. This last is essential.”

- Wassily Kandinsky

A triumphant luminosity, a pre-dominantly blue, red or a black canvas with a stroke of yellow, ochre or white, brush strokes seem to have been chiseled with a knife providing an edge to the paint layers coaxing enough thought on the canvas would sum up Chandan’s paintings in one go. But the mystery starts revealing with each time you look at his paintings there after.

With each new glance, a new story unfolds. As Chandan says, “ …my painting is a hidden form of art…like some emotions of human beings. It stands with friendship, with love and at last the peace of mind. Paintings are also the same.”

Abstraction in art flourishes in a climate of fear, anxiety or disillusion, from a feeling of alienation in a seemingly arbitrary world at the mercy of forces beyond one’s control. Recalling the history, abstract art began in 1910 in a war struck world. Militarism and socio-economic-political tensions led to the search for order and clarity in one’s own expressions hence in art- a reality in one’s own making.

Even though the world today is not “war-struck” any more but the promises of technology in terms of growth and development have dehumanized man. Pragmatism and individualism compels one to search a simpler reality of order and harmony. In his works, Emotions of myself, Chandan has wanted to escape from the complexities, discords and impending destruction. A successful attempt has been made to create the lyrical rhythm of our lives.

The compositions on his canvas represent moods and feelings rather than objects. He truly says that everything can be visualized, even the color of water. But one cannot see one’s inner pains or sorrows. Chandan has tried to express all of that through his canvases.

He created an illusion of movements through his free hand circular brush strokes similar to that of the spiral of our lives. With a color palette of solid colours, the artist manages to provide a transparent texture on the canvas. The appeal of this series of works lies in the subtlety of design and aesthetically balanced precision. Thick colours of different proportions produce a drama of a rhythmic effect of advancing or receding movement.

In a quest to understand his own emotions, he has painted this series. By the means of pure colours and the pure relationships of lines, simple relationships have been given a sense of beat creating the asymmetrical balance of life forms…

Shilpi Goswami

Palate of Colours - Rupchand Kundu

2007-03-12T02:38:00.000-07:00

A man of infinitely gifted calibre whose palate of colours never ceases to amaze one, celebrated women's day in the accurately designed gallery representing the true metaphor of nature, art and womankind at Lokayata, New Delhi on 8th March, 2006, transforming a bare gallery with the touch and the feeling of the sublime. This beautiful set left Gursharan Kaur, Indira Goswami, Bindeshwar Pathak and several others spell bound. Chandan Chakraborty curator of Lokayata and an aficionado of art critiques his works and comments "This works are neither over ornamented, nor bordering on the edge of loud or garish. As a connoisseur of art his trained eye not only looks deeper beyond the surface, but enables him to aesthetically execute every project of his as a masterpiece in its own right. His talent as an artish has seem him at the Academy of Fine Arts, the Birla Academy and Sourav's centre for Art and Culture where his paintings and art works were exhibited singularly, but being of an extremely modest nature he has done several group shows with renowned artists. His creations can be admired in Kolkata at the stunningly decorated Chinese restaurant at Tollyguange Club and at the very elite "Sonar Tari" restaurant at the Anderson Club. A humble , hardworking, master craftsman, a mature and cultivated artist, Rupchand Kundu has not only created a niche for himself in the geography of Indian Art, but his artist acumen cannot be rivalled. In his own words he says, "my bachelor's degree in science from Seth Anandaram Jaipuria College, served me no higher purpose since my lifelong passion in the arts took my educational career to pursue an arts degree from the Government College of Art & Crafts in Kolkata where I acquired a first class distinction in the year 1984." But in the course of the next few years his science background proved invaluable as an art director in the film world. His keen technical eye helped his perspective in assembling and crafting the brilliant and extraordinary sets of films such as "Baradin" directed by Anjan Dutta, "Swapner Sandhane" directed by Ashoke Viswanathan, Urmi Chakraborty's film "Hemanter Pakhi", Raja Sen's "Desh", Tapan Sinha's series of six short films "Daughter of the century and "Anokhi Moti". Also as an art director he has worked on serials, talk shows, documentary films, for several well known television channels the likes of Doordarshan in both Kolkata and Delhi, Zee TV, Tara Bangla, E.TV. directing for as many as 1175 episodes of the mega serial "Ek Akasher Niche", 400 episodes of "Mohini". In the area of advertisement films and television commercials not only was he the art director but worked in the capacity of a concept writer and worked for big banner names like Burger paints, Khadim, Close-up, Bata to name just a few. A man of various talents he is undoubtedly meritorious and has been awarded the BFJA Award three times for film production, the SBI award for best pavillion at the 300 years Calcutta Ceremony, Singapore Airlines Award for best pavillion at the Travel Fair. In the last seven years his commendable efforts helped him bag several accolades and adulations for Best Puja Mandap and Best Idol from the Telegraph, Star Plus, Asain Paints, The Times of India and Statesman. In a country where the limelight, credit and ovations are consistently given to the stars, the actors & directors, some rather important people are forgotten, those whose endeavours backstage help bring about the true magic of cinema. In tmes such as these Rupchand Kundu would like more acknowledgements and awards for the technicians, the backstage and sets crew. In this give and take liaison the human race revolves around, through his last project titled Earth Under The Sky at the Habitat Centre, New Delhi on World Environment Day he seeked through determination to give society an in depth view into the pathetic lives of the "prostitutes" for whom we are responsible and guilty to have labelled a section of womanhood as sinfull, illegal, poisonous and immoral. This project of his take us to a journey through the history of a necessary evil that prevails in our society order "SEX TRADE". Truly it is safe to conclude that his muse is his own spirit that is as effervescent as the essence of life and his heart brimming over with concern in a paradigm of uncensored paradox.

Abhik Bhattacharjee

The portrait of an artist

2007-03-09T04:52:00.000-08:00

Bikash Bhattacharjee is seen as an arch modernist who made a very distinct contribution in painting that is often combine a naturalistic style with element of surreal to challenge the viewer. Bikash Bhattacharjee’s tireless commitment to illusionistic representation of experimental worldly object and conjuring up pictorial event and situation, as surrogates of those the phenomenal worlds. Using meticulous, sometime academic technique, he succeeded in enchanting and astounding viewers with his ability to convent ordinary visual facts into something extraordinary. The recent exhibition of his work dating from 1959 to 2000 at the CIMA Gallery had visual, philosophical and poetic content corresponded to certain social and intellectual trends, particularly between 1960s and ‘70s. Bhattacharjee’s work makes a constant call on the viewers to relinquish, at least temporarily, usual expectations of art and makes it possible to observe in silence. Silence may be use for awaiting an illumined vision of things, and it is to his vision that Bhattacharjee introduces us. An image such as ‘Wounded Family’ shows an artist in discord with the society in which he lived, yet too skeptical and critical to think his art could reform it. Nonetheless, many are the images – the ‘Dekha Nai Phire’ series in particular by which the audience might become aware of the falsehood behind conventions and be able to find a way back to the mysterious essence of things. The simplicity of Bhattacharjee’s oeuvre is clearly a suspect one. His painting was methodical, the unexpected in it never mere caprice. What the artist sought to achieve was controlled resonance without being obscure. His images are firmly rooted within a certain culture, sociological and political framework. The mood of the harsh doll image fraught with anxiety corresponds almost exactly with a period of great political turmoil and upheaval in Bengal. These hunting faces, with a hint of the oppressiveness of hallucinations about them stress the poetic image as conscious and visible, rather than symbolic or significant. These are spectacular images, works of dark and hypnotic power. The 1984 portrait of Indira Gandhi stood out very clearly. Even though somewhat idealised, it conveys great insight into psychological makeup of the subject. Elegant features realised in simple contours unveil great emotive content whilst achieving a great-romanticized notion of majesty. Bhattacharjee’s images of women convey great inner turmoil underneath almost placid exteriors. In ‘Stenographer’ the artist perfectly captures the balance between far and confidence, between desire and innocent. It is a trembling and personal portrait; there is strong feeling of being on the threshold of something of a discovery about to be made. The exhibition is a fitting tribute to Bhattcharjee and his work, brought together a set of diverse painting, entirely from private collection.

Mithun Pramanik

Musharraf’s haveli on canvas

2007-03-08T04:18:00.000-08:00

The artist realised that he had to mix real and imaginary elements in the painting to make the haveli look striking and nostalgic. For a fortnight, Harish Kumar’s daily routine comprised shuttling between his small painting studio outside the capital and a congested locality in Old Delhi area, all for the sake of presenting Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf with a souvenir. He made more than 40 trips to the now—famous Neharwali Haveli where Gen Musharraf spent some years of his childhood six decades ago. Speaking to the media Kumar said that despite the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) commissioning him to execute a work of his choice at a very short notice, he was able to meet the deadline by submitting two paintings of the haveli. Of the two, it was a mixed—media work, predominantly done in water colour, that the ICCR chose to hand over to the Pakistan President during his recent India visit. The 32’x42’ work, mounted on a brass plate, was presented by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Gen Musharraf at the palatial Hyderabad House in New Delhi on April 17. Ironically, the artist failed to be present at the occasion as he did not get an entry pass and the cream colour sherwani he got stitched for the occasion lies untouched in his wardrobe back home at Eros Garden in Faridabad. “It doesn’t matter, my painting was well appreciated. It is more significant that a lesser—known artist like me was selected for such a major task,” he says. The ICCR had even let him choose the theme of the work. “Thus, right from using the haveli as the main subject to the framing and mounting of the painting, everything went the way I wanted it to be,” he says. Pressure involved Nonetheless, he admits that there was a lot of pressure in this assignment. “For one, you have a strict deadline. Secondly, it’s not something on which you can work the way you want. In a way this painting was to represent the nation,” observes Kumar, who has held about 15 exhibitions across the country and once abroad after completing his diploma from Sarada Ukil School of Art in Delhi in 1993. Kumar’s maiden assignment with the ICCR was a set of paintings on folk theatre forms for the council’s 2004 calendar. He says that he presumed that the council expected him to work on something that would project the country’s culture. His work on this assignment involved a lot of legwork as he, along with his art adviser and friend Chandan Chakraborty, would make an early morning visit to the haveli to take a closer look at some part of the building and go back to the studio to brush up a portion of the painting.

Keeping Mulk Raj’s heritage alive

2007-03-08T04:15:00.000-08:00

Mulk Raj Anand was committed to preserving India’s art and culture। Nalini Xavier writes about Lokayata, an institution founded by Anand, which has been organising art exhibitions from time to time. Remembering Mulk Raj Anand whose birth centenary fell on December 12, this year, is a way of reminding ourselves of the innate urge and social and spiritual need to be human even in the midst of conflict and chaos caused by a self-aggrandising approach to life. The swan song of Anand, an internationally acclaimed Indian English novelist, essayist and art-critic, was, “I wish all that’s human prevail on earth.” Lokayata, Mulk Raj Anand Centre, located at Hauz Khas village, New Delhi, has taken up the task of preserving and popularising Anand’s artistic heritage with a sense of missionary zeal and dedication. A man of the arts The spirit behind Lokayata and the ideals the centre stands for, have their roots in Anand’s family background and his interests in visual arts since his childhood days. Aesthetics became a major preoccupation with Anand since he learnt about Eric Gill, a well-known master craftsman, engraver and type-designer, and by virtue of his contacts with Ananda K Coomaraswamy, a pioneer in promoting non-European art-criticism. In 1930, when he was just 25, Anand made his debut as an author of art-criticism by writing a slim volume of 40 pages on Persian paintings, and two years later, The Hindu View of Art, which discussed the integration of religion and philosophy as the basis of the Hindu view of art and life, and the experience of wholeness as the essence of classical Indian art. His launching of Marg, a journal of arts, in 1946, in collaboration with the Tata Group, was another pointer to Anand’s commitment to “rediscover the heritage of Indian and Asian art through the centuries” and to examine “the contemporary trends in architecture, sculpture, painting and graphic design”. Besides, his experiences as Tagore Professor of Literature and Fine Arts at the Panjab University in 1960s and as Fellow of Lalit Kala Akademi, Sangeet Natak Akademi and Sahitya Akademi, converged in the birth of Lokayata. Memorable exhibitions Initially, Anand wanted Lokayata to be involved in craft works, community recreation, cultural action and such other activities. With the impact of changing times and financial constraints, Lokayata has limited its activities though not its spirit and objectives. It has been concentrating on art-exhibitions in recent years. Exhibitions of creative arts by known, unknown, young and budding artists have been a major activity attracting hundreds of visitors and art-lovers from far and wide. Various themes, such as Hindu mythology in calendar art, folk and tribal art, the richness of Indian culture, implications of communalism and nature as inspiration have been featured. Landscape, scenic beauty, rural and coastal life, particularly the Konkan region of Maharashtra, have been showcased in some of the works displayed. The Bengal School of Art represented art history in its exhibits by the younger generation. Motifs and colours used by the Gond and the Bhil tribes of Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh in painting their walls have been recaptured and exhibited by young artists by way of addressing contemporary social issues. Exhibition of paintings by Tihar inmates, inaugurated in Oct-Nov 2004, went on for more than month. V P Singh, former Primer Minister, inaugurated an exhibit of water-colour drawings and paintings by Das Mohan Singh in November 2004. The spirit of Anand has been the inspiration behind all these exhibitions and activities. Anand lives on During Anand’s birth centennial year, Lokayata organised a cluster of activities to commemorate his spirit. It facilitated the launch of Saros Cowasjee’s edition of The Mulk Raj Anand Omnibus by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, on Dec 11, 2004, at his official residence, followed by a public function in honour of Anand at India Habitat Centre the same day. The First Anand Memorial Lecture, titled “Mulk Raj Anand: A Dissenting Pilgrim” delivered by A S Dasan, University of Mysore, at a function organised on Dec 12, 2004, at India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi, by Lokayata, was well attended. Distinguished guests, writers, critics, art-lovers and journalists were part of the audience. The focal point of the lecture was the idea that ‘Anand transcended any kind of categorisation — Marxist or Gandhian or propagandist’. The ‘pilgrimage motif’ that ‘sensitises the discerning reader towards a compunctious and compassionate view of life’ in the works of Anand was highlighted. On the occasion, the centre also hosted an exhibition of paintings, titled, ‘100 Canvases, 100 Artists and 100th Birth Anniversary’ as a tribute to Anand. Well-known artist, Roopchand, exhibited his paintings in honour of Anand in Jan. and Feb. this year. Sonali Maitra Paul and Mriganka Paul paid a tribute to Anand with an exhibition of their exquisite paintings and sculptures, also in Feb. A number of art-exhibition programmes have been chalked out for the next two years. The art-gallery of Lokayata is scheduled to be the venue to many of these events. It is hoped that these and such other events organised at or by Lokayata in assocation with art schools and art lovers would be one way of realising the lofty objectives and goals of Lokayata. Let us hope that Lokayata moves ahead with hope in action. With inputs from late Dolly Sahiar, Kewal Anand, Roopchand and Chandan Chakravorthy. INSTITUTION THAT INSPIRES Lokayata, conceived and launched in 1970 by Anand, its founder-director, with the amount he received as the International Peace Prize from the World Peace Council, represents “the people’s way of life”, as he himself had originally envisaged. As a humanist, artist and art-critic, Anand was particular to promote those arts which would focus on and manifest the hidden beauty and wisdom of the struggle of the people living on the edge of society. It was also his objective to inspire, prepare and equip young men and women passing through Lokayata to face the challenges of the 21st century so as to usher in a world of peace wherein a compassion and humanism could reign and prevail. ART SHOWS There were a number of other exhibitions held at Lokayata’s art gallery in association with known and amateur art associates and groups during the year. To mention a few, Art for Tsunami, organised in Jan-Feb this year, contributed to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund. A solo exhibition by Amrit Kapoor, to remember and celebrate the Women’s Day in March, 2005, was inaugurated by Carole Lepers, an eminent French artist. A musical concert, titled Destination India, fusing the Indian classical with western music, was organised by Lokayata at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi in June, 2005. Heritage Continuum and Tribal Art Show were held in July, 2005. Bengal Masters, an exhibition of drawings and paintings by Shyamal Dutta Ray and Prakash Karmokar and others was a memorable event.

Nalini Dasan

WATERY STROKE ON LANDSCAPE

2007-03-08T04:13:00.000-08:00

Young artist Ananta Mandal (born in 1983), a final year student of visual art from Govt. College of Art & Craft ( kolkata) has earned a feather in his cap with another success. He is honoured with an award of excellence at San Diego Watercolor Society’s 26th international Exhibition, U.S.A., in special award category. They featured selected painting of Master Watermedia Artist from all over the world. Ananta Mandal’s painting ‘Our Kolkata’ secured fourth place and that’s a great achievement. Each painting is a window to the world of particular artist, a view that can’t be fully articulated in words. Earlier his water colour series on ‘Our Kolkata’ have achieved national as well as international success. His watery stroke comes from many things : the hustle and bustle of modern city life, lush forest, tropical beaches and the many moods of nature. About hundred paintings were exhibited, several times at different places ; like Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, California and elsewhere. He has a achieved many national and regional awards, like National Award -2005 at Birla Academy Art & Culture, Kolkata, National Award - 2005 at The Bombay Art Society, Mumbai, National Award - 2006 at Lokmanya Tilak Art Exhibition, Pune and many more. And three international exhibitions that was held in Indonesia where he participated. In an unique move, like before, he organised a solo exhibition at Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata and received a huge response from viewers. He still aspires to organise many more soloes in near future. Most of his paintings are water, acrylic and oil colour based. The viewers, here, can get to see some superb drawing by the artist. No wonder, his paintbrush has captured the water image of the city roads, countryside ambience and the blue sky merging with the horizon – all of which seems to come alive in his work while their simple charm create a subtle poetry in his paintings. Moreover, the interplay of light and shade has produced a chiaroscuro effect in his cityscape. Line and hues have been wonderfully blended to catch the rhythm of city life in a transparent treatment and getting them translated into artwork.Ananta Mandal is one of the finests of water colourist and has been doing so for quite some time now. His painting in water colour is outstanding, with realistic approach; where life as it really is. He has been romantic artist and his ‘In Road’ , ‘Queen of Kolkata’ , ‘Busy Morning’ , ‘Shadow of the Sky’ and many more images evoke feeling rather than thought. His water colours are bright and sensuous but their atmosphere evoke a strange mysteriousness. They are, in fact, a colouristic trio, played with brown, red and blue, punctuated with yellow. His every watery stroke makes an image as in the case of portrait and landscape. To quote the artist “ Dark shadow of submerged footpath, misty city and beauty of nature sky have impressed me since my childhood which I have captured in different medium like water, oil and acrylic colour with all its glory in simple realistic visual language”. This very feeling echoes in his artistic contribution. Even though he has great talent and potentiality he seems to revolve round almost same topic and composition and applies very limited experimental strokes. And for a budding talent what is inevitable is to break free from any obsession and find avenues to a new world. But in the era of globalization Ananta Mandal can be recognized as a water colourist of national and international status after Shyamal Dutta Roy, Sanjay Bhattachariya and Paresh Maity.The artist who has always been miles away from limelight will be a special feast for the eyes of art lover.

Mithun Pramanik

THE REBELLIOUS INSTINCTS

2007-03-08T04:09:00.000-08:00

The discourses on female identity and subjectivity often turn out to be an exposition of women's rights and women's behaviour.The whole idea of gender issue is often reduced and condensed to such a form where it is separated from the other forces of society. Is it really possible to study gender issue with this separation in its stand?This is where Manmeet Gill, Sonia Mallick and Dipannita Biswas strike our common belief of inhibitions, prohibitions and restrictions. Chandan Panda and Leonard Bey expands these coercions to a socio-political periphery and somewhere they dream to have a revolution and change.The five painters of VIBGYOR are in their nascent stage to sprout into the experimental world of differet discourses. Keeping a track with their academics they are in the process of making as well as breaking. In certain stages the thoughts collide. And many a time the fresh and young spirit yells to pick up the challenge through forms any colours in the portrayal of their theme and content.Gender apart from being the fundamental organizing category of experience is a branch of interdisciplinsry enquiry. Here sexuality, psyche and above all society play the major role in building up the female subjectivity. This has been the forefront issue revolving around Sonia, Manmeet and Dipannita's paintings.Though Sonia sees through monochromatic colour scheme keeping the light and shadow in rectangular blocks,the woman peeps through the different shades of blue in acrylic medium.Her eyes connote amultitude of expressions of being herself and the open lock as her earring is quite symbolic to reveal her freedom. A freedom that she has earned after a struggle over the ages.Yes she is - Manmeent's loud colours and feminine exposition in her real self makes this statement.Her portrayal is quite direct and she strongly denies to the set role models associated with womanhood."I want to be me, only me" is the recurrent voice clear in her choice of characters, colours and themes.Dipannita is more concerned with creating a rebel from within. Her photographic imprints and the direct conversion of those to the canvas make the blended feel of surreal and symbolical image on a two dimensional plane. Leonard's outbrust connects us to the symbolical image on a two dimensional plane. Leonard's outbrust connects us to the socio-political unrest of the present times and the mutilated limbs with bloodstains depict the confrontation with the hegemony. Chandan gives the final note of harmony. The rising sun and the desire to touch it ae both emotive and optimistic.True, their ideas are rich but is yet to be articulated skillfully.These budding painters have found out a common platform to stand together and share their way of thinking through their first group show at Academi of fine arts (New South Gallery) from 9th January to 15th January.

Chandan Chakravorty

ART FROM NATURE'S WOMB

2007-03-08T04:08:00.001-08:00

Birla Academy of Art and Culture hasted an art exhibition with difference. It's titled as figure in nature. This exhibition was showcasing the paintings and sculptures of 54 artists. Adding to the glitter of this show, will be the old and new master along with new generation talents. The Annual Art Exhibition which starts every year on Jan 9th has always been a memorable milestone both for it's aesthetic validity and professional credibility. Nature and figures as formed in the artists mind have formed a place in their creation. Significant among them are Subhas Chandra Nath's 'Warrior', Subroto Gangopadhyay's 'The old Man & Flower' in Acrylic ,K.Muralidharan's Airabada(mixed midia),Chanchal chand Kundu's unique 'Ram Laxman', Parag Adhikary's unique mixed media work.Anjan Das's 'Midnapur Relation' in Acrylic is outstanding, Dhiraj Choudhury's imagination creates moon light in the forest on the canvas, Praksh Karmakar's Acrylic work focus on nature & women commendable are bronze work 'Sweet Song' of sculptor Sunil Kr. Das, Ananta Mondal's City in water colour Manik Tentdulkar's mix media work centering round women's beauty.Shuvaprasanna's oil on canvas 'Golden Flute', Jogen Choudhury's 'Seated Women in Sari', Sipra Bhatterachrya's 'He', Samir Mondal's 'Seated node', Sunil Das's 'Bull' Wasim Kapoor's oil painting 'Christ', Dipti Chakraborty's 'She' blending women with nature, Sisir Sahana's exclusive Acrylic work, Monaj Mitra's 'Lady with flower vase' (Acrylic), Subrata Choudhury's 'Fairy Land' (Acrylic). Sadhan Chakraborty's mixed media work deserve special mention.Prabir Kumar Roy's sculpture 'Musician', Soumitra Kar employees his distinctive style in his Tempara work. Gouranga Behara's presentation of women amidst the beauty of countryside is impressive. Shuvrakanti Mitra's composition makes lavish use of colour. Shyamal Kundu's Terracota women, Santanu Chatterjee's painted wood, Dhanjoy Ghosh's 'A Room for Quest' - all leave their distinctive work on canvas.Their verity of paintings and sculpture will undoubtedly impress the viewers with their aesthetic appeal.

Mithun Pramanik

Sudip’s abstract expressionism

2007-03-08T04:05:00.000-08:00

After years and years excelled in realistic work when did artist Sudip Roy enter a realm in which unbounded imagination was not only possible but desirable not known before. Sudip’s abstract expressionism or illusionism is not completely a school of painting as a way of approaching and experiencing the act of creation rather a way to get in touch with the unconscious part of our existence. In the coming exhibition the artist unveils a new chapter of his journey into the informal of art. Working strenuously for years in realistic medium, he established his name and achieves a deserving fame too. Though his new talent has come into eyes as his surprise indulgence but it was growing in him partially in an eclipsed manner during his struggling period. His recent work is the outcome of his years spent in realism. The mature understanding of colour composition and the new array of vivid hues consciously handled in abstract form is not effortless.He reintroduced ‘feeling’ in art by freely applying the paint, dripping and spreading. Breaking the limitation of abstract-geometric and cubistic bounds his work gain an expression of ‘lose shape’ with a kind of volume. This informal art by sudip demonstrate how abstract expressionism moved towards the creation of paintings without conscious control. One of the purposes of his work is to allow indirect access to his inner psyche. It is the way to get in touch with the unconscious part of human existence, without knowing what one is doing.Sudip has broken the restraints of early 20th century notion that a painting has to be representing something. Though the rule since renaissance was broken by impressionism, fauvism cubism and other art movements of all the time but sudip has developed his ‘fluid’ concept in his recent work. His use of colours in non realistic way gives a little approach to fauvism. We can witness from the colour, line, form, volume and texture of his work that he has emerged out of all genius of the ancient art. His work could be categorised by figurative abstractions where things are not visual such as emotion, sound or spiritual experience. Though we can’t depict any particular subject or object in it as detail is eliminated from recognisable objects leaving only the essence or some degree of familiar form. A fine example of abstract expressionism which emerged during 1940 has applied the principles of expressionism in abstract paintings is of Jackson Pollock. He is widely known for his action painting where paint was dripped, dropped, smeared, spattered or thrown on the canvas. But in Sudip’s work the paint has been dropped intentionally, smeared on canvas in diluted form with conscious control. What single out in his work is the back ground space left unused with base colours. He has composed both the work space and leisure space in such a manner that the observer will take it as an entire work with perfect compositions, the colours used give nerves a soothing effect. He has handled the canvas tactfully thus giving it a universal appeal. Following the way, Sudip has created something that, when viewed by an observer, evokes unconscious, unseen feelings and emotions.

P shivani bharadwaj