A few forums reflect contemporary art across the country, and the Fourth Indian National Forum of Art and Culture (INFAC) exhibition is one of them. Over 125 artworks and 23 sculptures from across the country are on display on the walls of the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath as a part of the exhibition.
Among these, 55 works have been shortlisted for the prizes, which four artists won. The exhibition has showcased works by invited artists, like Ajay Ghosh's “Karna-O-Kunti and Kalabhakesari's “In Between the Conflicts”. INFAC has also displayed a few artworks by the differently-abled.
“We received over 3,000 entries for the competition, which were gradually shortlisted to 55 by a board of judges. The final shortlist was selected by the artist Subrata Gangopadhyay and sculptor Shankar Ghosh. The works were judged on the basis of their colour schemes, depth, expertise in the medium and strength of strokes,” says Tapash Gan Choudhury, the chairman of INFAC's board of trustees.
Surajit Roy's abstract sculpture in white cement and metal, “Moon in Nature”, won the first prize for its execution of a landscape in 3-D, while Kaltdinoi Vysali's “Cognition” done in woodcut, won the second place.
Vysali's work is composed of a figure in a turban, sitting on a stool, holding a paper fan. The strokes on the woodcut are finely crafted with charming details, in the way the figure is clothed and designed. “It's a unique piece of work because technically it's difficult to bring out a print that's crafted in such a large scale, with so many colours,” says Prasanta Daw, art critic and chairman of the exhibition's organising committee.
The acrylic work “Engulfed” by Binita Bandyopadhyay won the third prize. Binita paints a dark, textured “tribal” face peering out from foliage. The face itself is a picture of beauty and pathos, and a reflection of the beauty in a slow, deep sorrow.
“Myriad concepts revealed the individual expressions of the artists. On close observation, viewers will be able to understand the different types of techniques and styles employed by the artists, such as the Bengal school of art in works by artists like Ajay Ghosh. There are assimilations of the Indian and European styles in works like “White Nude” by Mihir Kayal. There are also realistic landscapes like B.R. Panesar's “Landscape” that resembles a collage, his previous body of work,” says Prasanta.
Some of the other interesting works as pointed out by Prasanta are Shankar Ghosh's bronze sculpture of a woman and Gyanesh Mishra's stone sculpture of a “Wise Man” for their treatment of subject. He loves Rabin Mandal's work for the raw vitality of a tribal figure it brings out and Rintu Roy's realistic depiction of electrical devices.
According to Prasanta, Atin Basak's graphic-like image, Subrata Gangopadhyay's surrealistic images, Santan Dinda's depiction of the Buddha, Shyam Kanu's line-based pig and Arnab Chowdhury's back-view of a crucified Jesus are also works to watch out for. Prasanta Acharjee's multi-panelled, multi-perspective of “Kali” is also an enduring image.
The Fourth INFAC All-India art exhibition will be on view at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, Kumarakrupa Road, until January 22. Call 22261816 for details.
