the Regulars
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After morning and evening tours on Day One, Raj Mahtani was back on Day Three. “It’s important to see what you are missing because you cannot see all of it at the same time. I am here finally to, maybe, add on a few things,” said the couture jeweller. He picked quite a few pieces on Day One. “I like to pick up collections… in twos and threes. I feel then there is a story. For me, it is really important to understand the mind of the person. In that sense, I like to see a body of work. When an artist paints, he paints with a certain vision and thought process and that evolves from the first to the whole series that he is painting. For me, it is important to carry that story. I have completed quite few a series like Jogen Chowdhury, Paresh Maity, Satyajit Roy, Ramesh Takem, a series of black and white Madhubani,” said Raj. Till Sunday afternoon, Raj’s Art Mela picks were all “monochromatic”. “May be, I will look at some more colours. I am looking at watercolours… I have got two fabulous Rabin Mondals. The new faces that he has done… may be I am going to add one more,” signed off Raj.
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“I try to come every year. Considering the prices, you feel tempted to buy everything... like you don’t usually get Madhubani paintings, beautiful images,” said Necklace director Sekhar Das.
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“This one reminds me of food. It looks like fish!” smiled Rakhi Purnima Dasgupta, pointing to a Sumantra Mukherjee (Sunny) canvas. An art lover, the Kewpie’s lady doesn’t have space for any more paintings in her house. Is she buying? “Don't say! Don’t say! Don’t say!” she laughed.
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Howard Lee and wife Cyndhia have attended all Art Melas. “I like a lot of Bengal art…. Rabin Mondal, Jogen Chowdhury. I am now thinking of younger artists,” said Howard.
here for passion & inspiration
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Shreya Trivedi who is specialising in painting dropped by with friend Jinen Udani on Saturday. “I have come here to gain some exposure. What are people doing currently? What styles are coming out right now? You come across many ideas,” she smiled.
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Aditi Kabra came for some ideas. “I have visual arts as one of my subjects… I am an art student where I have to be painting and making sculptures. I get ideas when I come to such exhibitions. This is my first Art Mela, but I have come to CIMA before for other exhibitions,” said the 18-year-old. She picked up a few miniatures and one Atin Basak “basically for gifting purposes”. She liked this Durga for “the effect… the kind of texture”.
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Derek O’ Brien misses his “Bikashda and Ganeshbabu” but was excited about “young artist” Kingshuk Sarkar. “Art is one of my quiet passions… only Bengal art. The good thing about CIMA is that you can come and buy good and original art,” said the quiz master and Trinamul Rajya Sabha MP.
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B.K. Manocha got his whole family to Art Mela on Saturday. “Our inspiration is our father. He is an artist himself and we were thinking of having a corner for him too!” smiled daughter Vanisha. “I come on all three days. We liked Bratin Khan, Kaushik Raha, Suhas Roy,” he smiled. Accompanying grandad and aunt was 10-month-old Aira. “If mom allows, we will be back! There is no room for any more paintings in our house!” smiled Vanisha, brother Sandeep and sister-in-law Chandrima.
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Philosophy professor and writer Richard Winfield’s house is full of his paintings. “All his paintings are hanging there. So, I keep telling him that sometimes you need to put some other painter’s work too!” smiled wife Sujata Gupta Winfield, a Calcutta girl who practices immigration law. “We have a bunch of Paritosh Sens,” added Richard whose favourite medium is oil. Based out of Athens, Georgia, Richard and Sujata love art. “We just like to look at art. Every place we visit, we go and look at art. Usually, we don’t think of buying. We have to be very selective about what really strikes us,” smiled Sujata. The duo gave a thumbs up to Art Mela. “The concept is really good… something for everyone. We always visit CIMA when we are here. The more people look at art the better,” said Sujata.
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La Martiniere for Girls students Urvija Agarwal (right) and Isha Goel had their date with art on Sunday afternoon. “I love painting mostly with acrylic and sometimes charcoal. I just came to get some inspiration. I liked the pop art ones by Sumantra Mukherjee (Sunny) and watercolours by Kaushik Raha,” smiled Urvija, 13.
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Rishi Tripathi paints in his free time. “I have come to CIMA Art Mela with my mother. I love the ambience and the paintings put up here. I love watercolours. While appreciating a piece of art, I look at the artist’s style. I have really liked Rabin Mondal’s paintings,” said the Class XI student of Future Campus School, Garia.
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Dithi Chakrabortty has been frequenting Art Mela for the past two years. “I paint. I am enjoying myself here. My teacher’s work is here… Ramendranath Kastha… that’s an additional motivation. It is a beautiful concept for people to collect affordable art for their homes,” she smiled.
Bulk buyer
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Binayak Sarkar and family come and buy every year. This year, their haul was a rich 16. “Ebare ektu barabari hoye gechhe!” he smiled. Kankana, who accompanied uncle Binayak and her Amsterdam-based aunt Jui Datta, felt they were a little late this time!
passing through
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Carol Wills was visiting from UK. “I love art. I am thrilled to bits to be here. Wonderful paintings! This is a real mela and it is all for sale and you can take it away with you, which is a little bit different. I have never seen an approach quite like this,” she said.
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Ayesha Malhotra, a leather handbag manufacturer based out of Delhi, dropped by on Saturday. “I have picked up a Sunirmal Maity. I just love the colours and it is a present for my mother. She has a painting in her living room that I don’t particularly like. So, I think this will be a great replacement. She loves art more than me and is educated about art more than me,” she smiled.
Friendly footfall
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“Isn’t it an amazing place? Thank god we have something like this! We just love art!” said an excited Payal Mukherjee, sister of designer Sabyasachi and the CEO of his label, who dropped by with friend and colleague Rajesh Kashyap. “I love Shakila. I have always loved her paintings. I had seen a collage of her once… yellow collage with blue birds on it and I loved it,” she said.
Artist corner
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“Art Mela gets better every year. It’s so crowded this year. This is good news for art” — Jogen Chowdhury
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“It is an encouraging idea to have originals within reach. It is a popular event of the city and many are coming from outside the city too. Young artists are most enthusiastic about the evening’s adda. Our slogan from the beginning has been ‘buy painting, live with the painting’— Shuvaprasanna
First-time buyer
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“I have been to CIMA Art Mela before, but this is the first time that I have bought something. I bought two paintings by Ashim Pal and Ashoke Mullick. Ashim’s a graphic print sort of painting. I bought it as I found it quite intense. And the one by Ashoke’s quite funny. Nobody can look at it without giving a reaction. It has lovely colours too,” said Eina Ahluwalia, conceptual jewellery artist.
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This painting has interesting forms. It just works for me. I feel the whole space (CIMA) is an amalgamation of having everything from Ganesh Pyne to modern art to absolutely new structures to folk art. It is fantastic. Ashim Pal @ Rs 7,500
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It has a lot of pop (art) in it. I like the fusion. Sayak Mitra @ Rs 6,000
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Patachitra is a folk form which should be seen more. I am happy to see it here at an established gallery. It is quite exciting. I have always worked and researched on it. Swarna Chitrakar @ Rs 600
Do you paint?
No, I just love the form. I have been interested in art. Seeing is pleasure. Studying is even more enjoyable.
Which are the masters you like?
Ah… Rembrandt’s colour play. Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock. Pollock represents what art becomes to us. The visual is primarily striking. Caravaggio has inspired anybody who is interested in cinema because of the play of light.
Did Satyajit Ray’s illustrations influence you?
I am a fan of Ray’s illustrations… more so Tagore’s. I love Tagore’s illustrations. I found a lot of originality in Tagore’s sketches and illustrations.
Do you like any contemporary artist?
I have liked Samir Aich’s visuals and how he explores.
