The wall is what you make of it, so is a surface or canvas for an artist. What if you choose a similar medium or technique and observed how each artist uses it to give wings to his/her thoughts and expressions? Souls of Wide Walls, at Kalakriti, showcases paintings of three generation of artists from Kolkata who specialise in watercolours. A visit to the gallery turns into a study of themes, techniques and artistic prowess.
Throwback to royalty: Avijit Dutta’s paintings ‘My Private Museum’ hark back to the times of royalty. He paints portraits of princes and princesses using tempera on canvas board, a few of them mounted on glass. The tempera method gives his work a weathered look like the photographs of a bygone era. The world that members of royal clans inhabit is a blur, marked by horse-drawn carriages and musical instruments. Dutta places his subjects in studio setting; we see focus lights and bulbs in the frame, indicating a time not too far away. He also draws attention to taboos of the past.
Human stories: Master artist Jogen Chowdhury’s works, both old and new, narrate human stories. In ink and pastel watercolours on paper, he depicts coal pickers at Kharagpur rail yard. A train chugs along in the background and for these coal pickers, it’s just another day and they have a job to do. Chowdhury presents rural life through another painting of a morning in Kalikapur and a street in the basti . The body language of his subjects, some strolling along the lane and others perched on raised platforms outside their homes, takes us back to a time when everything didn’t have to move at a frenetic pace. In contrast to these images are the master artist’s florals, characterised by his use of thick lines. Chowdhury is often referred to as the ‘master of unbroken lines’.
In silhouette: Sanjay Bhattacharya’s frames reflect his affinity to streets of Kolkata — city centre, a life-sized clock in a room cluttered with other antiques… In vivid hues, he also presents silhouettes of Krishna; his choice of colours, shapes, forms and the play of light and shadow add depth to the frames.
Men and women: Samir Mondal’s paintings titled Purush and Shakti are proof enough to show how he paints sharp faces that draw attention. The artist is hailed for blending traditional and contemporary techniques in watercolours and his works on landscapes, flora and fauna and pored over internationally.
Like a winter morning: Paresh Maity’s large, deep-hued painting of a winter morning is easily among the most fascinating paintings at the gallery. A picturesque landscape at the first signs of dawn, with sunlight seeping into mist and a boat anchored at one end of the lake are the artist’s representation of a typical winter morning. He moves away from the routine and depicts daybreak through a painting of houses washed with golden hues of sun.
‘Souls of Wide Walls’ is on view at Kalakriti art gallery, Banjara Hills, till August 31.
