Nine self-taught artists come together for Bengaluru show

At a time when seniors pursue careers after retirement, and young people take on many different roles, this exhibition proves that there is more to life than just a desk job. A group of nine self-taught artists have come together to curate Masterstrokes Figurative, incorporating their diverse artistic voices.

A painting by Ipshita Chatterjee

Founder-curator Ipshita Chatterjee explains that the artists come from different parts of India, and belong to various educational and professional backgrounds ranging from science, medicine, engineering, technology to management and design.

Bengaluru-based Ipshita, a molecular biologist turned visual artist, has been taking her art to galleries in Delhi and Kolkata for almost six years. “I specialize in portraying rare birds with attractive plumage and mating displays in their native habitats.” Ipshita draws inspiration from visits to national parks and bird sanctuaries in India and South East Asia. “My art is a celebration of the lives of the bright, feathered creatures of the tropics.”

Goddess Green Tara by Akoijam Tom Tom Chanu

Other participating artistes include Akoijam Tom Tom Chanu, Dhanya Das, Dr. Jyoti Tiwari, Apurba Das, Ivy Rajkumar and Gautam Bansal. “MasterStroke Figurative effectively displays their work for the general audience to admire while also providing them a platform to learn from academically trained master artists,” says Ipshita.

Art by Jyoti Tiwari

All featured artworks focus on realism and are stylized renderings that depict themes that characterize the world around us. Each artist’s hometown, his childhood memories, socio-cultural milieu and traditional themes related to wildlife are represented in the works.

A graduate from IIT Kanpur, Dhanya specializes in paintings depicting Indian mythology and culture. “I will bring two oil paintings to the exhibition,” she says. One titled ‘Lost’ is inspired by the legend of Nala and Damayanti, and the other artwork titled ‘Aranyani, Goddess of the Forest’ depicts a free-spirited woman like the forest.

A painting by Sinoj Sivan

Hailing from Manipur, Akoijam is an IT professional turned artist who specializes in painting paintings based on mysticism. “I work on acrylic paintings with textures. The Tara Devi series holds a special place in my heart. She symbolizes Shakti – the divine mother, protector and giver of spiritual liberation. I will be displaying two incarnations of the goddess Tara in an upcoming exhibition.”

Akoijam left his IT career in 2012 and started painting as a hobby. “Through art, I find the freedom to imagine and create a mystical world that is beyond logic and reason while experiencing a sense of enlightenment and pure joy. I believe that the world deeply needs beautiful art to make our lives more meaningful and attract positive vibrations.”

A painting by Gautam Bansal

Sinoj Sivan started painting with water colors at the age of 12 and later moved to oil colors on canvas. “I am greatly influenced by Raja Ravi Varma. He is my driving force. My primary subjects include characters from the Indian epics and Puranas along with mythological subjects,” says the artist, who will bring two such paintings to the event.

From October 30 to November 2, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishad, Kumar Kripa Road, Bengaluru, 10 am to 7.30 pm.