Like in recent years, the faculty members of Rabindra Bharati University?s visual arts department have put up their innovative creations for public viewing at the Chitrakoot Art Gallery. As the dean of the faculty introduces the unique collection of individual artists as a reflection of ideational flux in contemporary world, the discerning viewer is likely to be struck by the varied dimensions of such change. Change, to be sure, may pertain to the relationship between tradition and modernity, or in respect of aesthetic skill, concept and rhetoric. The thrust of the show is as much on a desired dialogue with spectators as on a meaningful reciprocity between the teacher artists and their participant students who are eager to learn from an exposure to pluralistic approaches to modern art.
Samir Dasgupta
Over a couple of years Anuranan has provided a platform for practitioners of verbal arts irrespective of their style and schooling. Thus a wide variety was noticeable in an Anuranan evening at Bangla Akademi (March 29). The sparse audience was treated to a sort of a medley of ideas and emotions captured in poetry. Women reiterated gynocentric themes while the men went on harbouring idealism a la Nazrul as well as present-day cynicism. Tapas Chakraborty was pretty caustic in exploring a city-bred intellectual?s moment of epiphany on a rail station after a Sabyasachi Dev short story. Tuhina Dutta was a picture of concentration presenting a rejoinder to Joy Goswami?s Meghbalika which Nabanita Dev Sen authored with her characteristic humour.
Anshuman Bhowmick
A little-known yet remarkably accomplished disciple of the neo-Bengal school, Nilima Dutta?s first solo exhibition is currently on view at the Academy of Fine Arts. It comprises fine specimens of her drawing abilities (including intricate pen-and-ink delineations), showing her facility with the silk surface, wood-cuts and neatness of composition. All these qualities may be traced back to the inspiration she received from the style and technique of Nandalal Bose in her formative years. Even in her multi-figure drawings and paintings, executed in soft tones, she reflects the spirit of the bygone age which prescribed uncluttered, elegant configurations such as may be seen in the pieces showing Buddha?s death or the infamous play of dice in the Mahabharata.
SDG
