After the Masters: Breaking Step-Walking With (Emami Art), a recent online exhibition by the faculty members of Kala Bhavana, shows that while the historical, social and aesthetic circumstances that form the basis of any art have changed since Kala Bhavana came into existence, what has remained the same is the freedom of spirit and thought that lead to the creation of exemplary art. The artists exhibited in this show have assimilated the best that Kala Bhavana has to offer along with more current influences and practices from around the world.
While the influence of artists like Ramkinkar Baij, the Tagores and even Jamini Roy is clearly visible, the works on display stand out for their originality. The jewel tones of Amit Danda’s cubist animals, Amiya Nimai’s imbuing of prana or life force into everyday objects that reflect the toil of the working class, Ajit Seal’s stunning wood engraving highlighting the importance of co-existing with nature, the haunting engravings by Salil Sahani and the stark etchings by Sanat Kar, among other artists, all reflect contemporary concerns about life and labour.
While photography and photo-derived realism in painting break step with the masters, these are informed by familiar concerns and landscapes that are easily recognizable, such as in Arpan Mukherjee’s wet-collodion photographs or Prasanta Sahu’s mixed media works. Soumik Nandy Majumder’s delicate watercolours that capture the ephemeral quality of childhood are like a breath of fresh air amidst grave concerns.
In this exhibition, memory and its engagement with the quotidian is a shadowy presence, hovering over current experiences and their compulsions, complexities and contradictions.