Sunil Das

Head, Ink on Paper, Black, Grey by Padma Shree Artist Sunil Das "In Stock"

2012

Rabin Mondal - Untitled ; Ink on Paper 15 x 22 inches (unframed size) 1993 ( Unframed & Delivered ) Mondal was a clear observant of the various migrant workers who lived along his house in the conjected Howrah Area. They came from far to work and earn their livelihood. He would observe them and was deeply moved by the labour and low rung working class who carried all the heavy load oriented work. He would paint the men and the women , some distressed , some gloomy but with a force that would uplift them to be the heros of the society. Surprisingly Mondal was never depressed himself although he painted people in hard labour and poverty . Style : Mondal`s works are mainly figurative. He paints in bold strokes and creates tableaux, whose themes are universal. The faces of his figures stare at you out of the canvas, strange and pensive, but also strong and defiant. Not yet beaten, surviving by sheer force of spirit. He mostly uses dense pigments in blacks and reds, with only occasional moss green and turquoise colors seeping through. About the Artist & his works : Born : Rabin Mondal (1929 – 2019) was born in Howrah, Kolkata. Education : 1959 : Completed his Art Appreciation Course, Ashutosh Museum, Kolkata University, Kolkata. 1956-58 : Attended Evening Classes, Indian College of Art and Draughtmanship, Kolkata. 1952 : Bachelor of Commerce, Vidyasagar College, Kolkata University, Kolkata. Art Career : The industrial belt of Howrah, with its inherent tendency towards violence, anguish and suffering influenced him deeply, and found its way into his works. So did ugly street battles fought by political parties. Mondal discovered that his artistic temperament was out of keeping with the hostile environment and situation. Besides a debilitating knee injury in his childhood created a sense of isolation in the artist, which also finds expression in his canvas. He says what saved him from sheer madness was his talent in art. In 1949, he joined the Vidyasagar College of Art in Kolkata. At that time, a festival of French artists was being held in the city. It exposed him to the works of French modernist artists. Prior to this, he had no exposure to the international art world. He was only familiar with different schools of Indian art, particularly the Bengal school. As a young painter, Mondal was attracted by Jamini Roy`s folk style and Rabindranath Tagore`s disquieting paintings and drawings. But the show by French artists was virtually a turning point in his artistic career. "This was like opening a window to an astounding, astonishing, unsuspected world," he says. This encounter with avant-garde Western art helped him to later incorporate elements from it in his own work. Art Works : Mondal worked out of his Howrah studio, churning out a series of "kings" and "queens" painted with oil on canvas. These are perhaps Mondal’s best known works, depicting tragic looking figures, seemingly suffering from paranoia and fear, yet ironically termed kings and queens. Some of the highlights of this series were the works Man Acting as King, King Being Appeased, King Making Confession, and King and his Assassin. Mondal also produced a series of "deities", which sometimes seem to merge thematically with his "queens". The artist’s deities are generally depicted with radiate crowns, whereas his kings and queens are not. Other favorite subjects of the artist were the brothel and the harem, which he depicted in canvases such as Event in Red Light Area and Orgy. For someone who hates all forms of pretentiousness, he has done a series of painting on queens and empresses. "Though they belong to the past, queens live in virtual isolation, and I feel sorry for them," he says. "It is this isolation that makes the queen, for me, a fascinating subject." One of the criticisms leveled against him is that his works are not pleasing to the eye. To which he replies, "Painting is for communication and not for decoration." Solo Exhibitions : Rabin has had several solo exhibitions:
 From 1961 - 1973, 1976, 1987, 1993 and 1999 he exhibited solo at various places in Kolkata. In 1974, 1977, 1982, 1983, 1987 and 1991 he showcased solo in several place in New Delhi. From 1978 - 1980 and in 1984 he had solo exhibitions at Birla Academy of Art and Culture in Kolkata. In 1980 he had a solo show at Max Mueller Bhavan, Mumbai. In 1989 and 1990 he exhibited solo in Mumbai. In 1993 he had a solo show at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai. In 2014 - 2015 and 2016 he exhibited 'Kingdom of Exile: A Retrospective' at Delhi Art Gallery, Mumbai and at DAG Modern, New York. Group Exhibitions : He has participated in several group exhibitions:
 In 1955, 1969, 1970 - 1972, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1995, 1998 - 2002 and 2010 he participated in various group exhibitions in Kolkata. From 1963 - 1965, 1971, 1973, 1980 - 1982 and 1985 he exhibited in group shows at Lalit Kala Akademi in New Delhi. In 1964, 1969, 1994 and 1996 he took part in group exhibitions at All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS) and LTG Gallery in New Delhi. In 1968 and 1972 he participated in group exhibitions at Kala Bhavan, Santiniketan. In 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978 - 1980 and 1983 he took part in several group shows at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai. From 1975, 1979, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2010 he participated in multiple group shows in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangladesh and Bangalore. In 1975 he took part in the 3rd Triennale in New Delhi. In 1984 he participated in the Tokyo Biennale, Japan. From 2003 - 2005, 2010 and 2011 he took aprt in Manifestations I - VI’ at...

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