The world created by Chandra Bhattacharjee in his works is one without boundaries; where humans, animals and surreal creatures co-exist in harmony. But his canvases are also languid and far removed from the urban world. Dusky men and women inhabit an ethereal realm untouched by the madness of everyday city life, carrying out their daily chores. His compositions are influenced by the Santhal tribes of rural Bengal. The textural quality of his paintings is strongly reminiscent of the traditional mud walls of these villages, smeared with cow-dung. The colours in Bhattacharjee’s paintings are, at once, subdued and vibrant. He uses the technique of crosshatching, a method used more often in pencil drawings, in black, over the colour, which adds depth to his paintings. His paintings tell a story, but it is a story without a beginning or an end, flowing seamlessly from the artist onto the surface of the canvas. Over the last few years, however, he has engaged with the concept of an indelible signature left by the ooze of urban life. Though not a diary in the literal sense of the term, the works in Visual Diary, his ongoing show of paintings, are like entries that sum up his responses as an artist; at home, in his studio and beyond. An expansion of his spontaneous rough etchings and scribbles, they reflect his way of understanding the world in flux.
Event: An exhibition of paintings by Chandra Bhattacharjee When: Till January 30 (except Sunday); 11 am - 7 pm, Monday, 2 pm - 7 pm Where: Galerie 88, 28B Shakespeare Sarani, #22902274