Helen Durant

Ascent

This large figurative oil painting is a reinterpretation of two paintings by John Vanderbank, A young gentleman riding a schooled horse, 1729 / Man on horseback, 1728. A unique oil p...

Shuvaprasanna Bhattacharya - Wings 2021 - 60 x 30 inches (unframed size) Acrylic and Charcoal on Canvas , 2021 One of the most popular series of the Master Artist, The Golden Flute is the artists more romantic renedition of Art. The iconic figures of Krishna, Radha, and Ganesha that found lyrical expression in the Icons series are modern representations and sophisticated idealizations of the same images in the popular media. Krishna is a cosmic musician, and the tune he creates by playing his transcendental flute is embodied with cosmic energy. When Krishna is depicted as being between the age of 5 and 8, it is always with his flute. Therefore, during this period, he is aptly called Murlidhara (murali means “flute,” and dhara means “hold”), signifying the one who holds the flute. He is never without it, whether he is with his mother, on the grazing grounds with his herd of cows, among his cowherd companions or roaming around on the Jamuna banks. Gopis lose their selves in this tune. For them, music becomes the voice of love, which is too passionate and secretive. Style : The city of Kolkata has always figured prominently in his work. His themes come from his personal interactions with its urban milieu - its sickness and sordidness, its violence and vulnerability and all that compounds its existential agony. Shuvaprasanna has depicted varying moods of the city and its people, its places, and all its facets that make the city distinctive. He doesn't merely portray reality as 'matter of fact' and his presentation of reality often has dream-like elements in it. In terms of technique, Shuvaprasanna boasts a precise, finely executed style that yields an unmistakable visual intensity. He works comfortably in an assortment of media, including oil on canvas, charcoal, and mixed media. About the Artist and his work : Born : In Calcutta, 1947. Education : Graduated from Indian College of Art (R.B. University, Calcutta) in 1969. Exhibitions : Shuvaprasanna has had several gallery and museum exhibitions, including at the Tao Art Gallery and at the Chawla Art Gallery, Square One Mall. Several works by the artist have been sold at auction, including 'ABODE' sold at Waddington's 'Fine Prints & Photography Auction' in 2014. There have been many articles about Shuvaprasanna, including 'An exclusive edifice' written by Kunal Ray for The Hindu in 2014. Selected Solo Exhibitions : 2011 - Shuvaprasanna: Recent Works, CIMA, Centre of International Modern Art, India, Kolkata 2010 - Summer Show 2010, CIMA, Centre of International Modern Art, India, Kolkata 2007 - ‘Madhura: The Golden Flute’, organized by Indian Contemporary at Visual Arts Centre, Hong Kong 2006 - ‘The Divine Flute’, Aicon Gallery, USA 2002 - ‘Icons and Illusions’, Gallery ArtsIndia, New York 1998 - ‘An Appreciation of Ted Hughes’, Exhibition of Crow Paintings...