JANUS ART GALLERY PRESENTS
KALA BHAVANA: THE LEGACY OF INGENUITY
Visual expressions of the artists from Kala Bhavana Santiniketan
SHRIDHARANI GALLERY Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi 2nd to 10th September, 2019 11am to 8pm daily
842A/1, UPEN BANERJEE ROAD, PARNASREE, BEHALA KOLKATA: 700060, INDIA www.janusartgallery.com | email: [email protected]
+91 9830060206, +91 9331840678 Kala Bhavana: The Legacy of Ingenuity
Rabindranath Tagore established Kala Bhavana appreciate today has its seed sown in Kala Bhavana to instil a cultural practice that was embedded about a century back, and thus was the vision of in the society: fairly novel and genuine, with its the founder. underpinning in the freedom of expression. Tagore’s idea of art was not limited to Nationalism alone but The current exhibition Kala Bhavana: The Legacy may be seen, in Santiniketan, as a meeting point of Ingenuity, showcase the works by twenty of universal practices-in its holistic manifestation, young artists/students from Kala Bhavana with nurtured with passion. Under the academic an objective to trace the progress, through its leadership of Nandalal Bose, Indian modern started rendering of subjects and styles, and alongside, taking shape in the natural environs of Kala Bhavana, the current practices and pedagogy. These works Santiniketan, where the students were encouraged continue to bring us closure to the similar artistic to respond to the immediate nature through their responses with a contemporary vocabulary; through art, unlike the revivalists, who consciously held back cognizable and abstract forms-redefining feeling of upon the classical subjects and motifs. From the joy, ecstasy, freedom, conflict and contradictions days of Nandalal Bose, Benode Behari Mukherjee of life etc., as much a century past. The increasing and Ramkinkar Baij, Kala Bhavana has produced disintegration of the society provides stimulus to the numerous artists, scholars and teachers in the field minds of the artists, providing them with numerous of art those went on to create their independent concerns and subjects like contemporary incidents, visual language. The environment that was to memory, childhood, gender, space and also traverse nurture the art was flexible and ever pragmatic. And the contemporary experiences and psyche. The this environment incidentally provided a scope to works presented here signify a blend of traditional the artists to express freely, without any restriction and contemporary perspectives, which continue to of the medium or style. The change that we much explore freshness with unsettled energy.
Nishant These works by the select twenty artists, participating in Kala Bhavana:The Legacy of Ingenuity, represents their view of contemporary Indian Art and contribution“ to current cultural practices.It is a course of life, one turns outside the institutional boundary that has trained him/her with idea and skill, to face the challenges in the field of creativity. However, it is observed in the past years, the students have shifted increasingly out of their probable career. While this may benefit the students/young artists individually for a short term, it will presumably have an adverse impact on a comprehensive journey for themselves, as much for the art world.
At Janus Art Gallery, as part of a major project, we are committed to bringing in young and upcoming creative minds together, for the last 20 years, providing them with wider viewership and equal opportunity. This allows the graduate students/artists from well-known art institutions, to showcase their art and creating a niche for themselves in the contemporary art field.
Till recently, the prevailing practice of the Galleries, Auction Houses, Collectors etc. are not showing any sign to go beyond the obvious. And this is not at all an encouraging factor for the art world. One sees no increment in a wider pattern in the context of art; for example, no reasonable start-ups in the art world have been taken up till now, while it can encourage the young minds to think out of the box.
Janus is grateful to the artists, who have generously contributed their works for this exhibition. Our acknowledgement is especially due to Prabir Kumar Bera for his technical support and catalogue designing, Suvajit Samanta for his artistic inputs, Damayanti Debnath, who has coordinated the project with impeccable professionalism, without the support of whom, this project might not have been possible.
Kallol” Bose “Kala Bhavana: The Legacy of Ingenuity”
Visual expressions of the artists from Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan
ARTISTS
Anirudra Mondal Arindam Sarker Anup Let Asish Kumar Maji Gargi Ghosh Braja Balak Pal Intaz Ansari Enjamul Islam Koustav Nag Santosh Kumar Patel Santanu Banerjee Suvajit Mondal Portia Roy Shweta Naik Pradip Sengupta Sukanya Sumantra Sardar Subir Das Suparna Mondal Tuhin Mondal Anirudra Mondal Born: 01/04/1993
Between Spaces, Mixed Medium, 48 x 60 inches
Anirudra Mondal obtained bachelor’s degree in Painting from Kala Bhavana, synthetic materials. The rural life of Santiniketan is embracing the pros and cons Santiniketan. He has participated in several group exhibitions. In 2014 and of rapid urbanisation. The juxtaposition of natural and industrial materials in 2017, he was part of the workshops on calligraphy that were held in Kolkata and his work depicts these drastic changes and its alarming consequences on the Santiniketan respectively. Santiniketan landscape. During his stay in Santiniketan, he noticed the chaotic reality of organic and Arindam Sarker Born: 31/08/1987
I’M Alive Wood, Aluminium and Feather L17X B 7X H 29 inches
Arindam Sarkar obtained bachelor’s (2010) and master’s (2012) degree in Fine Arindam’s works stand for the soul that seeks freedom. A soul that is trapped in Arts from Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan. He has two solo shows to his credit with a his own dilemmas. Life has become synonymous to ambition, determination and recent one at the Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre, Thailand. In 2010, he received action. And in fulfilling each of these, humans trap themselves in the shackles of the National Cultural Scholarship from the Government of India. despair and dejection. Asish Kumar Maji Born: 10/11/1981
Dreadful deathlessness Bronze, 25X37X13 inches
Asish Kumar Maji, a post graduate in Sculpture from Visva Bharati University, His works explore the relationship between nature and the physical world. Asish Santiniketan, has exhibited his works in many group shows in the major art tries to visualise the aspects of an event which changes with the change in time galleries across the country. In 2006, he was accorded with the Best Exhibit to create a completely different scenario. His works are deeply inspired by human Governor Award in All India Fine Arts Exhibition organised by Academy of Fine nature. Arts, Kolkata. Anup Let Born: 19/03/1992
Introspection, Mixed medium, 12X12 inches each
Anup Let has graduated in Painting from Kala Bhavana, Santiketan. He has sexual identity, in his case, and its reaction towards any defiance to the norms. showcased his works in several group exhibitions. His participation in the Being a representative of the LGBTQ community, he portrays his own experience workshops on gouache, tempera, pata-chitra, performance art etc. has provided of being ‘other’ and how, in the society, only the sexual identity prevails over his him with the imperative exposure to varied visual languages. primordial identity as a human. His work talks about society’s stereotypical construct of identity, gender and Gargi Ghosh Born: 08/04/1994
The Devoted Housewife Wash on paper 24X36 inches
Gargi Ghosh received her bachelor’s and master’s degree in Fine Arts with The influence of popular culture on a middle-class household interests her. Its specialisation in Painting from Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan. Her paintings have prominent presence in every corner of domestic space is what intrigues to create been part of a number of group exhibitions, held across the country. The popular her current pieces which can be considered as painted installations. She tried to images and visuals which she encounters in her everyday life frequently appear in explore the possibilities of incorporating single or multiple frames in and around her art-works only to depict her response to the immediate surroundings. the image. Braja Balak Pal Born: 09/02/1995
Bird, Terracotta, 20X20.5 inches
Braja Pal received Bachelor of Fine Arts with specialisation in sculpture from Kala innermost essence in his own style. The sense of energy/rhythm is apparent in Bhavana, Santiniketan in 2017. In this work, the form of a bird is rendered in a his way of dealing with figures in a semi-abstracted framework. stylised manner. He picks up a motif from his surroundings and represents its Enjamul Islam Born: 02/05/1997
A Thinker’s Mind Bronze & Wood 9X7X7 inches
Enjamul is presently pursuing M.F.A. in Sculpture in Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan. toughest challenges the country has been facing in the post-independence He has received the Merit Scholarship from the Visva Bharati University in 2015, era. And consequently, people are distressed with irregular distribution of 2016 and 2018. His work was featured in the 52nd Annual exhibition (2019) of resources. The artist tries to capture the threat of this situation in his sculptural Birla Academy of Art and Culture. representations. Enjamul’s works deal with the issues of over-population in India, one of the Intaz Ansari Born: 16/09/1992
Seller, Tempera on Paper, 42X96 inches
Intiaz Ansari completed both B. F. A. (2017) and M. F. A. (2019) from Kala Being born to a father who makes ends meet by working as a labourer has Bhavana, Visva Bharati University, one of the prominent art institutions in India. developed in him a sense of respect for physical labour and made him more He has been exhibiting his works since 2014 in the leading art galleries in Kolkata empathetic to this class of people. The hardship and adversity this job is entailed and Santiniketan. Intaz received the Kalasakshi Memorial Trust Award and with are what he tries to show in his works. Scholarship in 2018. Koustav Nag Born: 09/11/1982
Struggle, Plywood cut print, 18X48 inches
Koustav Nag, a PhD research scholar (since 2018) at the Assam University, has Kaustav’s work revolves around the multi-facet and somewhere conflict participated in a considerable number of national and international shows that relationship with politics and human being. He intends to trace the trajectory of an facilitate his works to travel countries such as Bangladesh, Japan, the USA and invisible thread that ties the human with their surroundings. Text as a means of Denmark. He has also been invited to many residency programmes in India and communication often makes its way into his works. abroad. Santosh Kumar Patel Born: 06/08/1995
Fishes of life Bronze 16X9X4 inches
Santosh Kumar Patel lately graduated (2019) from the Visava Bharati University, Santosh’s works are inspired by the objects and visuals he encounters everyday. Santiniketan. He has participated in several group exhibitions including the But they don’t make a mere presence in his work, rather provoke the viewer to National Art Exhibition (Odisha) in 2017 and All India Annual Art Exhibition think about the importance of that very objects or things. (Bombay Art Society) in 2018. Suvajit Mondal Born: 17/05/1990
Many Movements Ceramics (Stoneware) 35.6X13.6X13.6 inches
Suvajit Mondal completed B.F.A. from Govt. College of Art and Craft (2013) and After moving to Delhi, the artist encountered a city which is overpopulated, stands M.F.A. from Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan (2015). In 2016, he had his first solo in the contrast of Santiniketan’s rural landscape. The architectural congestion, show ‘Anveshanam’ at Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi. He received the National which makes the lives of millions of people miserable, has compelled the artist to Scholarship from Ministry Of Culture (New Delhi) in 2014. He presently works as a delve into this issue and make it a subject of inquiry in his art. visiting faculty at College of Art, New Delhi. Portia Roy Born: 19/07/1986
Extras of the world IV, Woodcut, 22X30 inches
Trained as a printmaker, Portia Roy has obtained the bachelor’s and master’s Portia’s art is always a reaction. Images and incidents that disturb her have always degree from Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan in 2009 and 2011 respectively. Her been the subject of her work. They compel her to give them a body. The ideas are works have been part of several group exhibitions including ‘Drawing Is Dead’ in often derived from the sadness, helplessness that she feels about the increasing Khirki Studio, ‘An Overwhelming Dream’ in Print Club, Delhi, ‘Melange17’, Lalit Kala inhumanity and viciousness in the world. Academy, New Delhi, and ‘Rooms’ in Gitler &_ New York. Pradip Sengupta Born: 05/08/1976
Balance, Acrylic on canvas, 36X30 inches
A post-graduate in Painting from Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan, Pradip The painting titled ‘Balance’ depicts the unstable state of human life. As thinking Sengupta has four solo shows to his credit. Amongst his series of group beings, humans are bound to make decisions in every step of their lives. The cliff exhibitions, many have been hosted in major art galleries in India. Museum of and the dangerously positioned car, in the painting metaphorically narrate such Sacred Art, Belgium has his works in their collection. Pradip has participated in art moment of crisis in human life and individual’s ability in decision making. camps on calligraphy, art restoration and many more. Santanu Banerjee Born: 02/01/1975
The stranger, Acrylic on canvas, 43X43 inches
Santanu Banerjee pursued graduation (2000) and postgraduation (2002) in His recent works are often a kind of exploration of the outward and inward Painting from Kala Bhavana, Visva Bharati University. In his long career, he has perception of this changeable swinging time, articulated by multi-layered ideas participated in quite a number of group shows, held across the country and and imageries. His arrangement of forms invites the viewer to move into a space abroad. In 2004, he was accorded with the prestigious Elizabeth Green Shields of speculation. Award by the Elizabeth Green Shields Foundation, Canada. Sumantra Sardar Born: 06/10/1991
Right to remember II, Acrylic on canvas, 60X48 inches
Sumantra Sardar completed B.F.A. from Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan and Over the last few years, Sumantra is delving into the idea of migration as an then moved to Hyderabad to pursue M. F. A. in Painting from Sarojini Naidu School economic, political as well as cultural problem. He is trying to understand the of Arts and Communication, University of Hyderabad. He has participated in many theoretical significances of the displacement and transition of people asan group shows and workshops. In 2016, he received the East Zone Gold Award in alarming global phenomenon of the twenty-first century. Painting from the Prafulla Dahanukar Art Foundation. Shweta Naik Born: 09/10/1987
Being qua being, Terracotta, 17X12X18 inches
Shweta Kevale Naik is a PhD scholar at the Dept. of Art History and Visual Arts. Her interest lies upon the socio-culture background of any place; therefore, She studied M.F.A. in Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan (2014). She has participated primarily her works are based on human emotions and conflicts. Society’s over in a number of group exhibitions across the country. She received the Chinese empowering influence on human nature, growth and decay of human feelings Government Scholarship in 2014 and Merit Award in the Annual Exhibition of have a vivid impression on her art practice. Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi in 2019. Sukanya Born: 05/02/1993
Inside me 2 , Colour wood and iron, 40X24X24 inches
Sukanya received bachelor’s (2015) and master’s degree (2017) from Kala Sukanya endeavours to voice for the women who remained silent all their life, Bhavana, Santiniketan. She studied in the École nationale supérieure des Beaux- being oppressed by society. Her identity as a woman facilitates her to be more Arts, France as part of student exchange programme. Her works have been part empathetic to them, which is overtly reflected in her works. But the aspiration to of many group shows in Nandan Art Gallery, Santiniketan, ICCR, Kolkata, First be empowered and triumph over all the adversity is very much there. Internatinal Kala Mela (2018) organised by Lalit Kala Akademi to name a few. Tuhin Mondal Born: 04/01/1991
Urbanisation-3, Acrylic on canvas, 36x72 inches
Tuhinuddin Mondal received bachelor’s (2017) and master’s degree (2019) in His attempt to show the stark contrast between urbanisation and rurality and how Painting from Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan. He has participated in several group modernisation has forced villages to capitulate to the cities is reflected in the title shows and workshops. Being trained as a painter, Tuhinuddin prefers to paint in of his work ‘Kaler banshi’, named after the famous sculpture of Ramkinkar Baij. oil and acrylic colour. Suparna Mondal Born: 16/10/1982
The sound inside my corridor, Acrylic on Canvas, 96X72 inches
Suparna Mondal, a post-graduate from Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan, is a visual Philosophy that stands behind the technique she uses is simple: she works artist who has a penchant for painting and printmaking. Her works have been with dots and lines. For Suparna, a dot stands for stability and a line does for displayed in more than thirty-five group exhibitions in India and abroad. She was movement. The combination of the two is ultimately what she wants to describe one of the featured artists in Gwanju International Art Fair and Busan Art Fair, in her works: they form life. South Korea. Subir Das Born: 16/08/1990
Blocked, Wood,12X12X36 inches
Graduated from Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan in 2019, Subir Das prefers to century is depression. With the burgeoning work pressure, competition, struggle express his thoughts through sculptural forms. He has taken part in many group for survival the human race is facing frustration, anxiety and despair that lead to exhibitions and workshops on calligraphy and wood carving. the darkness of depression. Subir Das’ concern for the suffering humanity is what One of the most menacing phenomena, thriving with the advent of the twenty first his art speaks about. Janus Art Gallery
Janus Art Gallery is one of the most active and dynamic art houses located in Kolkata. Since its inception in 1998, it has been earnest- ly collecting and promoting art and soon carved a niche for itself. Focused on the art of Bengal, Janus Art Gallery has an on growing collection of works by artists with commendable heritage value, re- nowned modern artists and young contemporaries with a promising future. Consequently, the collection has grown not only in number but more significantly in quality and variety. Hence, along with a substan- tial collection of Old Masters, Janus is also committed to searching for young talented artists, promoting them in the art field and bringing them the recognition they deserve. This approach led Janus to dis- cover less known gifted artists with great potential to make a mark in the art scenario.
Janus Art Gallery’s relentless search for such artists has not only made its own collection valuable but also has drawn attention of the critical viewers and the art loving public of the city at large. As an essential part of the process, Janus also organizes exhibitions all over the country. It is worth mentioning that Janus has participated in Delhi Art Summit, 2008, Art expo Malaysia, Kualalampur, 2009 and sent paintings of upcoming artists to Larasati Auction, Singapore in 2007, 2008 and also to 33 Auction, Singapore in 2011. Sri Kallol Bose, who heads Janus, can be credited with the realization and formation of a well-informed and well-researched foundation for a veritable art collection and promotion in the Indian art scene, setting an example through sheer dedication, persistence and professionalism.
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