The Hindu : New Delhi News : Bringing contemporary Bengal art to the Capital

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Tuesday, May 06, 2008
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New Delhi

Bringing contemporary Bengal art to the Capital

Madhur Tankha

On display: Water colour on paper by Partha S. Dev.

NEW DELHI: Highlighting the rich diversity of Bengal art and its significance in the current context of the contemporary Indian art scene is an ongoing exhibition at Art Elements Gallery here.

“Art From Bengal – Paintings, Drawings and Sculptures” has been organised to bring together 24 artists from different parts of West Bengal on a common platform. The participating artists belong to the contemporary and post-progressive eras.

The exhibition showcases pieces of art from the highly acclaimed as well as emerging artists. Most of the artists have lived and worked in Kolkata and Santiniketan. The artists whose works are being displayed include Dipali Bhattacharya, Suhas Roy, Niren Sen Gupta, Jogen Chowdhury, Partha S. Dev, Suhas Roy and Sanatan Dinda.

According to Amit Aggarwal of Arts Elements Gallery, the development of Indian art owes a lot to the erstwhile Capital State of Bengal.

“In our continuous endeavour to bring forth modern and contemporary Indian art to our audiences, we have realised that the development succession of creative talent in Bengal cannot be overlooked. The fact is that during the colonial rule several art groups were formed that triggered breaking away from boundaries and freedom of expression which resulted in creation of some of the greatest Indian artists including the progressives.”

Rupali Gupta of Art Elements Gallery says though the artists of Bengal are exposed and aware of the happenings in the art field around the world, it seems their intention is to have an identity of their own: “This is because they have strongly knitted themselves with their tradition and are deeply rooted in the rural and folk culture.”

Pointing out that Bengal has a special place in the development of contemporary art in the country, seasoned art critic-writer Suneet Chopra says it was among the first State to consciously reject the colonial agenda of creating an art form that would be European in style and technique but include archaic Indian themes from the epics as content.

Different style

“The Bengal artists did not limit themselves to Indian influences alone. They looked for and found a way forward in the calligraphic art of Japan and China that gave us the wash technique as an original advance. It is not surprising that this radical break from colonial tutelage became popular all over the country, from Bengal and Rajasthan to Punjab and Kerala,” adds Suneet.

After looking at a number of works in the exhibition Suneet is reminded of “Madai-Jogai” folk art, the Krishna image so much a part of Chaitanya’s stream of the Bhakti movement but also of the portraits of women of the market who challenged male supremacy in the 19th Century.

“This highlights the fact that Bengal art continues to flower and progress even today, with Bengal artists still attracting attention for their technique, sensitivity and originality of approach, all of which are reflected in this exhibition,” he adds.

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