Kolkata: At Zee 24 Ghanta Exclusive Honors 2026, veteran artist Ganesh Haloi was honored for his distinguished and lifelong contribution to Indian modern art.
Ganesh Haloi’s artistic journey reflects a deep engagement with history, memory and change. Influenced by the flowing landscape of the Brahmaputra, the trauma of Partition and the lasting impact of the Ajanta Caves frescoes, his early visual language evolved through decades of experimentation and introspection.
Ranging from figurative compositions to lyrical abstraction, Heloi’s work traces a significant change in post-independence Indian art. His practice reflects a dialogue between the heritage of the Bengal School and European modernism, passing through stages of abstract expressionism before moving into what critics often describe as “poetic abstraction”. For Héloïse, this evolution was not merely stylistic – it was a process of reinventing herself through layered memories and lived experience.
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Art historians say that the “landscape” in Héloïse’s canvases often transcends geography, becoming an “interior scene” shaped by emotion and reflection. Marked by subtle gradations of color and meditative geometry, his works create a contemplative visual field where light, air and horizon merge seamlessly. The colors and lines in his works appear organic and breathing, inviting the viewer to quiet introspection.
During his formative years, Héloïse was influenced by renowned artist Benod Bihari Mukherjee, while the bold modernist approaches of Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse expanded his visual vocabulary. However, he has consistently emphasized assimilation rather than imitation, blending global modernity with Indian philosophical thought, classical musical traditions, and folk aesthetics.
Working in watercolor and acrylic, his canvases often reveal layered surfaces where time itself appears to have sedimented. The interplay of stillness and movement, structure and silence, defines his mature style.
Over the decades, Ganesh Haloi has exhibited widely in India and abroad and has earned recognition from collectors, critics and institutions. Beyond painting, he has also contributed as an art thinker and writer, expressing reflections on silence and space within the visual arts.
Recognizing his singular artistic vision, Zee 24 Ghanta Ananya Samman 2026 presented him with a special honor for his extraordinary contribution to Indian painting.
The award acknowledges not only a distinguished career but also a creative philosophy that continues to inspire audiences and remind that every outer landscape ultimately leads to an inner horizon.