Dark Humour

Rows of pencil sketches and frames of yellowed,rough doodles of human figures flying kites or playing stringed instruments dominate half the room. The other half has dark drawings or jottings on graph papers. The exhibition,“Ideas in Line”,being held as part of IIC Experience,India International Centre’s festival of the arts — brings together celebrated artists of the Bengal School,Ganesh Pyne and Dinkar Kowshik,through their preparatory sketches,giving a glimpse of their thought processes while creating art. Pyne started work in the ’70s and exhibited till 2010. Kowshik’s artwork merged with India’s freedom struggle around the ’30s,and went on until he became the principal of Shantiniketan in the late ’60s. “The two painters belong to different generations but their jottings are a spontaneous form of expression. Ganesh Pyne,the introvert,reflects on the universe within,while Dinkar Kowshik on the day-to-day world around him,” says curator Dolly Narang.

Kowshik’s 20 exhibits are works in progress. Colours are yet to be filled into his sketches and,in some cases,the papers are torn from the edges. His figures have no particular features,but appear to be merry and geometric,mostly surrounded with earthy colours. His son,Vijay Kowshik,in his note says,“His work had a lyrical grace and he infused spontaneity on whatever he painted. His figures are shaped by geometry,giving them a simplicity which makes them light with an inbuilt rhythm and movement,rather than being rigid.” The artist’s row of sketches ends with a handwritten — and illegible — note from a hospital bed dated February 6,2011. Injected with humour,keen observation and doodles on the page,he writes,“I am enjoying five-star hospitality in Mercy Mission Hospital. They enquire with sympathy,how are you feeling?” This was a week before he died.

Blacks and reds catch your eye in Pyne’s sketches. His avant-garde,meticulous drawings on the cubed graph papers have notes written (also illegible) by the artist on the margins in English and Bengali — giving the impression of a modern-day graphic novel. He draws ornamented women,sketches of parrots and sharks,Gothic structures and an angry Goddess Durga,among others. “Jottings are an age-old practice. This classical process allows me to be free as I know I am not going to face any judgment. My paintings are essentially structured works,and jottings help me understand these structures and the relationship between space and form,” writes Pyne,in a note to Narang in 1996.

The exhibition is on at IIC till October 24. Contact: 24682001