Journalism of Courage
A five-day art exhibition titled 'Melody of Life' recently showcased works of four artists from West Bengal -- Subrata Das, Samir Sarkar, Shampa Sirkar Das, and Shymal Mukherjee. (Source: PR Handout)
All the works were based on neorealism and neo-romanticism, a form of traditional art painted in the light of modernism, as per the press statement; Samir Sarkar's work (Source: PR Handout)
The exhibition was showcased at Bikaner House, New Delhi; Subrata Das' work (Source: PR Handout)
Samir Sarkar's paintings featured people wearing headgear with a face painted on it, implying that we always wear a mask over our faces to project the personality we want to project, which is different from reality; Samir Sarkar's work (Source: PR Handout)
The exhibit was curated by Suneet Chopra who promised an "artistic splendour of the state that boasts of traditional art and culture painted in the modern light"; A work by Shampa Sircar Das (Source: PR Handout)
Chopra said in a statement, "Contemporary art can serve as an indicator of cultural and societal changes by utilising constantly changing forms, colours, and shapes that connect the past, present, and future. These artistic expressions are not intended to be permanent but rather to serve as guides to alternative future possibilities."; Shyamal Mukherjee's work (Source: PR Handout)
Subrata Das reflected this trend in works that depict the traditional Radha Krishna legend in the form of village people's lives, with the composition of these works reminding us of different episodes of the legends and anecdotes that thrive in rural India to reach out to an audience that has barely gone beyond the romantic world of fables and legends; Subrata Das' artwork (Source: PR Handout)
Shampa Sircar Das created an ethereal atmosphere of a broad net of nature in which the human figure is but a face, sharing her canvas with a peacock, swan, fish, deer, and a lotus pond. Her depicted aethereal harmony is in cool blue and green colours, almost dreamlike; Shampa Sircar Das' work (Source: PR Handout)
Shyamal Mukherjee created mobile sculptures of cranes with movements that are not just mechanical but reflects the motions of dancing cranes as a virtual challenge. He uses reverse acrylic, which emphasises his technique rather than the figuration, which is drawn from the folk imagery of the world of popular art, putting our reactions to forms at ease and distinguishing his expression from mere romanticism; Shyamal Mukherjee's work (Source: PR Handout)
