Vinayak Pasricha, an independent arts consultant, curator, collector and lecturer, has had an unrestrained relationship with Ramananda Bandyopadhyay and his art. The veteran artist, whom he fondly refers to as ‘mastermoshai’, is known for his individualistic style and whose repertoire is expansive. Pasricha, who has also written a book on Shanu Lahiri, painter and art educator, is on a mission to document Bandyopadhyay’s life and his work and the first instalment — Ramananda The Lyrical Modern, was launched at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club.
“There’s a Durga painting by Ramananda in my bedroom from 1978. The older I got, the painting cast a spell on me. She still hangs in my bedroom. The spell she casts is as strong as ever. Also, I’ve known mastermoshai since I was a child. My family’s association with him goes back before I was born. I would see his illustrations in Banichakra, Sahaj Path and Desh. There is a certain kind of naivety and gracefulness in his work. Despite being one of the most revered artists from Bengal who has contributed greatly to its cultural growth, global interest in the artist is modest and academic research is minimal,” said Pasricha, an avid reader and researcher.
This comprehensively illustrated book is the first of its kind to focus on the artist and on his wide range — from early drawings, which have never seen the light of day, to more recent works. It traces the artist’s engagement with drawing throughout his career, affirming his skill across a range of media and his ability to touch the inner life of his subject.
“As a result of his complex evolution as an artist, there were several ways to tell the story of his career, with many subplots to be encountered along the way. For the purpose of this, I decided to delve into his oeuvre and take out a book and it seemed important to keep it lucid, and to rely on the artist’s strongest and clearest achievements, rather than following out all the various byways,” said Pasricha, who will be coming out with two more books on the artist.