Same lineage, diverse insights

Father and Son Exhibition at IIC Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The canvases installed in the Art Gallery of Kamaladevi Complex, IIC range from miniature landscapes painted in delicate wash technique by Bireshwar Sen to bold visual narratives depicting urban and rural life painted by his son Sureshwar Sen. Two different artists with the same lineage.

Ella Dutta, art historian and member of the curatorial team, says, “Bireshwar Sen was a master of soft visualization of landscapes, while his son Sureshwar Sen’s paintings depict portraiture through vibrant colors and dynamic brushwork.” “Both father and son have the same lineage of work and yet have different visions of seeing them,” she says. While Bireshwar is famous for his miniature landscapes, Sureshwar expresses modernism and the urban world. Is.

Some of the best works of Bireshwar Sen are home at last And Flower Kasha Reed. The titles of his paintings are influenced by English literature. On the other hand, Sureshwar Sen’s Varanasi Ghat The series of the 1970s is associated with contemporary art movements, characterized by thick calligraphic lines and expressionist distortions.

The Patriarch by Bireshwar Sen Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The exhibition highlights the evolution of Indian art during a transformative period in history and serves as a platform to experience how the two artists have enabled art lovers to explore the rich tapestry of Indian culture and the excellence of nature. In his artistic journey to influence and help.

Sureshwar’s son, Prithveeshwar Sen, who is also part of the curatorial team, says, “The exhibition has been divided into sections like ‘Sketches from Life’ and ‘Imaginings’, which bring out the contrasting styles of my father and grandfather’s work. Let’s bring it.” ,

With 85 paintings on display, ‘Father and Son’ is more than an aesthetic exhibition; It is a celebration of the heritage, deep family ties and contributions of both artists to Indian art and how their work still resonates in its fabric. Apart from the generational change in approach, what impresses us is the discovery of the fusion of many cultures of painting taken from different parts of the world.

Although Lucknow was the home of both artists, their work is based in several centres, including the Bengal School of Jorasanko and Santiniketan, while in transit with other metropolitan art centers in India and several other countries, especially Japan.

Painting by Sureshwar Sen Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Dutta says that both father and son did a lot of experiments. “Bireshwar’s method of painting with fine brush lines and the watercolor and wash techniques used as medium, reflect the characteristics of the Bengal School. But what he does with them is entirely his own idiom.

The exhibition also honors art historian and author, late Professor BN Goswami, who conceived this unique father-son duo exhibition in January last year. The curatorial team took the idea forward after his death. The professor has studied and written extensively on the works of Bireshwar Sen (1897 to 1974) since 2007. He once wrote in admiration that Bireshwar’s landscapes evoke a sense of wonder, which gently borders on reverence. And it never ends..”

“What adds to Bireshwar’s works and makes them so attractive is the human presence which is depicted on such a small scale that it is almost unnoticeable, but it is always present. “In contrast, human figures, especially women, feature frequently in the works of Sureshwar (1923 to 1980),” he wrote.

Despite their stylistic differences, both artists’ artworks demand attention, neither of them making viewing easy or simple. The exhibition can be viewed in several ways; The audience can sense the range and variety in the performances.

Garima Sharma

At the Art Gallery, Kamaladevi Complex, India International Centre, 40 Max Muller Marg; By 24 December; 11 am to 7 pm