Artist Paresh Maity makes the most of the Instagram spot in front of the Victoria Memorial. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The gameplan of director and curator Siddharth Shivakumar and trustees Malvika Banerjee and Jeet Banerjee has launched the first-ever Bengal Biennale, a multi-generational tapestry of artistic expression, bringing together a diverse range of artists and their unique perspectives.
This winter event, to be held across two venues – Santiniketan University City from November 29 to December 22, 2024, and Kolkata Metropolitan from December 6, 2024 to January 5, 2025, – will include artists and curators challenging traditional Indian culture. Create boundaries and deep, thought-provoking installations.
Nobel Prize-winning economist Professor Abhijit Banerjee and graphic novelist, writer and filmmaker Sarnath Banerjee have joined hands for Water Tales, helmed by Anshuman Dasgupta at Mithali Hostel, an iconic family home in Santiniketan. The installation highlights the intersection of art, storytelling and social issues, and deals with themes such as water and its connection to human life and cultural integration.
Paula Sengupta and husband Sujoy Das – in exile in Tibet at the Academy. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Sanchayan Ghosh’s Anatomy of a Landscape is playing at the same location. Ghosh’s work often involves public spaces and community participation. His projects encourage viewers to interact with the environment and reflect on their relationship with the land.
Mithu Sen builds a hut inside a Santhal village with the script. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Mithu Sen offers a glimpse of Santhali culture in a Santhal village, reviving their lifestyle and life skills. I’m Ol’ Chikki is in the news for her bold claim of Santhali identity. The graffiti features the Ol Chiki script developed by Raghunath Murmu, and the walls are filled with symbols that announce the presence of the Santhali language and the revival of its cultural narrative.
Writer Devdutt Patnaik brings his deep understanding of Indian mythology to the biennale in the form of artwork. His work often reinterprets ancient stories to reflect contemporary issues and perspectives. Nikhil Chopra’s interactive performance Land Becoming Water will be held in Tokaroon. It is set in the rain-soaked fields of Shantiniketan, where the earth shifts under the weight of a tropical deluge.
His work explores art, nature and community on different levels. Chopra’s performance art highlights themes of change and fluidity, blurring the boundaries between land and water. By connecting with the natural elements of Shantiniketan, Chopra creates a sensory experience that resonates with the local community and visitors.
An exhibit at the Bengal Biennale. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Sudarshan Shetty’s multimedia installations often explore themes of transience and change. His work combines traditional Indian art forms with contemporary practices, creating a dialogue between past and present. His work will be shown at the Lalit Kala Academy in Kolkata. At the same location, the interplay of memory and images creates multiple stories in Chhatrapati Dutta’s installation Shadow Lines. This particular work is not only about the trauma of partition, but also about the amplification of trauma.
Artist and sculptor Paresh Maiti has a public sculpture of a life-size bronze jackfruit (now said to be the largest art object in India, at 7,000 kg) right in front of the Victoria Memorial. The installation reminds of the time Maiti saw her mother cutting a jackfruit into pieces, and got confused as sometimes it was a fruit and sometimes a vegetable. The memorial garden comes alive with anecdotes from Maiti’s journey from water color artist to sculptor. ,
A more modern installation is by Paula Sengupta. Her Tibet in Exile (Enlightened Prayer Cycle) at the Academy comes with photographs of her husband Sujoy Das’s trek. Sengupta’s work is deeply personal and poignant. His interactions with the Dalai Lama are reflected in his work, and when viewed alongside Das’s photography, it creates a harmonious blend of art forms. This collaboration highlights the resilience and beauty of Tibetan culture in exile.
published – December 21, 2024 07:23 PM IST
