Art & Craft

Every corner of West Bengal—every district—has its own unique story, most of which never come into the limelight. But what

The language of Alakananda Sengupta’s sculpture is disarmingly simple — as though it wraps us in a blanket of affection.

The city Bishnupur in Bankura is truly a city of art — one might even call it the cradle of

Birla Academy’s new exhibition celebrates the creativity, process, and storytelling behind the vibrant world of comics

In Kailash, Lakshmi is believed to be the beloved daughter of the ever-poor Lord Shiva; if Lakshmi is not present,

  In the Bengali imagination, Durga is more than Adi Shakti Mahamaya, the primordial force. She is Uma, the daughter of

The boat was the very first connection, the first bridge, between water and human beings. Nevertheless, despite three-quarters of the earth being covered

It is that season of the year when we eagerly wait for the gifts from our loved ones. There was a

In the scorching heat of summer, the dying Ajay River flows slowly, its banks covered in layers of white sand.

In this rapidly changing world convenience foods and packaged snacks make up the majority of the meals we make, once

Ratan Das and his 8-year-old son were keenly putting paints on a huge mask that looked like the bearers of

In a sticky situation on a humid afternoon in a village just outside Murshidabad, an artisan is weaving a saree from

The Bengal Store help to showcase this tradition to the world

When the British first arrived in India, they had to adapt themselves to a lot of unfamiliar things, such as

We are all familiar with the famous clay dolls of Kathalia village in Murshidabad. The red-and-black striped dolls from this

The light raindrops of Sraban fall to the ground, dancing with the push of the cool breeze. The cloud-laden afternoon

In a world so often entrenched in violence and discord, there exist a few individuals who illuminate lives with their

Reba Hore’s life was simple and work-filled . Born in Jessore, she later studied Economics in Kolkata. During that time,

“Atmasanskritirbarb Shilpani..” (Art is to cultivate one’s own soul) Abanindranath Thakur (7th August, 1871 – 5th December, 1951), was a pioneer

Handloom weaving is an ancient practice that has existed for thousands of years. Artefacts like spindles discovered at the Indus Valley

“Elephants belonged in their stables, horses in theirs” – that is how royal palaces are often described in Bengali folktales, right?

In Satyajit Ray's Nayak, Arindam, played by Uttam Kumar, said, “Shankar-da used to say that unless there is a dramatic

Somenath Hore Ramkinkar was one of those rare geniuses whose excellent works have made him immortal. The youthfulness and senility of

What started as a weaving phenomenon centuries ago in a small village called Baluchar in the Murshidabad district of West

Athing of beauty is a joy forever. Women of Bengal always harboured that aesthetic sense that urged them to take

There was a time when, in Bengal, waterways were used far more than roads. Trade flourished along these routes —

Since ancient times, our bonding with nature has been very close. We worship Gods with offerings of ‘shadopachara’ (16 items)

Lakshmi baskets were once preserved in almost all households in Medinipur, Bankura, Hooghly and Purulia districts. The baskets were usually

Apart from a variety of decorations on clay walls, there was a long prevailing practice in rural areas of Bengal

Srijani Shilpagram, Santiniketan, Bolpur Tucked cosily in Bolpur, opposite Prakriti Bhavan, lies Srijani Shilpagram, the hub of Bengal’s art and culture. Despite not

Wooden chariots were once a pride of Bengal and Orissa, they were used not just in war, but in the

Doll-making in Bengal is an age-old tradition that reflects exquisite creativity, dedication, and love for the art. Archaeological excavations in

Doll-making in Bengal is an age-old tradition that reflects exquisite creativity, dedication, and love for the art. Archaeological excavations in

Patriarchy, adultery are not just terms which have an association with the present times. These are major aspects of our

The Sundarbans during the annual monsoon (June–October) season are a nightmare for most locals. During the rainy season, residents have to plod

When the eternal loving bond between a mother and a son is wrapped in the form of a clay doll,

Dashavatara (Sanskrit) or Dashabataar (Bengali) is the collective name for the ten avatars or incarnations of Vishnu. India's ancient scriptures

These days, many people are trying to return to their cultural roots. But in the race to keep up with

Not so very long ago, a majority of homes in India would store their drinking water in terracotta (baked clay)

The endangered art of Serpai carving from Lokpur is making a slow but steady comeback

His mountains spoke a thousand words, rose to the sound of lonely music, his landscapes were miniature formats of the original

In the olden times, mats were an integral part of the social fabric of Bengal, and Madurkathi mats were used to sit

That gooey and sugary yellow swan or the pink tomb that stood atop a puja prasad in our childhood days,

It was way back in 1930, when an exquisite piece of art right on his lunch plate had excited Rabindranath

Ifirst met the renowned artist K. G. Subramanyan—whom we all fondly called Manida—on August 25, 1996. I remember the exact

“In the 1980s, Kolkata’s fashion scene saw a wave of inspiration from Shantiniketan’s batik alpana. This led to the creation

Tracing Bengal’s ancient and rich heritage of woodworks Daruchitra aka woodwork is the art of wood engraving. It is an ancient

The artistic sense of Bengalis invariably found expression in their traditional spirit of hospitality and also in the food they

Before the British took over, Murshidabad was the capital of Bengal. During Murshid Quli Khan’s rule (1717–1727), the twin towns (Jiaganj) on

Cartoons have a unique way of capturing reality—blending humour, satire, and storytelling into powerful visual messages. Some artists turn this

Humour in art has always been a notoriously difficult theme to tackle. The popular notion seems to be that if

What had Ramkinkar Baij to do with politics and democracy? Well, a lot. He not just roamed through rural Bengal,

The humble grass that we trample every day can be turned into exclusive and exquisite export items! Well at least

Patachitra is one of the rarest ancient art forms of Bengal that depicts a strong narrative along the lines of

In ancient times, the region that constitutes Birbhum now, was part of Rarh region (land of red and laterite soil) and a fringe area

The Ivory and Wood craft industry dates back to the time when the Nawabs of Bengal had their court at Murshidabad.

Here’s a village tucked in a quaint corner of Pingla, Paschim Midnapur where even a two-year old holds on to

Remember that scene from Satyajit Ray’s Agantuk, where the globe trotting uncle is treated to Goyna Bori after he returns home decades later?

If rural Bengal has been practising alpona designing for decades, they have their roots in the first civilisation of India

Throughout the month of Poush or (December - January) in Bengal, a festival called Tushu worship is held that needs

Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practical purposes. The word mask appeared in English in the

Every day we come across different types of art and different artists cand are never out of innovations. Art has

Imagine a priceless painting of famous German neo-classical painter Johann Zoffany adorning a well-known church of Kolkata! And yes, that

Imagine a priceless painting of famous German neo-classical painter Johann Zoffany adorning a well-known church of Kolkata! And yes, that

In the world full of objects and ideas along with their lack, is it possible to fathom out the nature

Aparticular art of Bengal is decorating Ghots or round earthen pots offered during various religious ceremonies. At times the Ghot itself is

In Charaka Samhita, the ancient Indian Sanskrit text on Ayurveda (traditional medicine), there is a phrase: Kansyam Buddhivardhakam, which means

East Burdwan's Natungram is well - known for its world famous wooden dolls There was a time when wooden carvings would

Meera Mukherjee, Karuna Saha, Shyamsree Basu, Shanu Lahiri, and Santosh Rohatgi (from the right) In Bengal, the 1950s witnessed protest movements

An enigmatic figure in the art world, Ganesh Pyne, born in Kolkata, West Bengal, constructed his own universe. One of the

As the countdown to Durga Puja begins, there is a scurry of activities in North Kolkata’s potters’ hub, locally known

Mother Goddess Durga channels positive energy to combat evil, thereby establishing harmony. This is why every year, the entire state

India is a hotpot of a variety of cultures, ethnicities, religions, and races and celebrates many festivals that are unique

Bengal has never ascribed to the idea of dolls being nothing but playthings for children. Dolls have always been culturally

Although Kolkata is well known for being a hotspot for artistic talents, the majority of these treasures are still relatively

Padma Shri Takdira Begum, Birbhum If poet Jasimuddin’s Nakshi Kanthar Maath depicted the love story of Shaju and Rupai, a different

These dolls do not dance or make facial expressions, they are static, rustic, yet charming, carrying a legacy of art

In the last few decades, we have heard a lot about miniature arts and crafts. Like any other buzzing trend,

The idyllic villages of West Bengal, with their pristine natural beauty and refreshing ambiance, have an irresistible allure, drawing in

Craft items made from Water Hyacinth There is a Bengali folk song that goes like this: “Thakile dobakhana, hobe kochuripana/ Baghe horine

Nawabzadi Meherbanu Khanam Throughout centuries, women entering the world of mainstream art were largely against social conditions. Yet, the touch of

Legendary artist/author Benode Behari Mukherjee Legendary artist/author Benode Behari Mukherjee (7 February 1904–11 November 1980) emphasized in one of his essays,

Sunil Pal, a self-taught artist -Image : X(Twitter) Pedestrians walking down the busy footpath in front of Axis Bank, Golpark branch

Street art at Patuli, Kolkata It has been quite a while since Patuli emerged as the new hip and happening spot

Chapai Nawabgunj, Bangladesh, is popularly known as the Alpona Village Does Alpona speak? At times it does, specially if an entire

Batik sarees from boutique Swati, the main unit of Kakali Das Kapas Batik is an artwork found on clothes, sarees, dupattas,

Whenever we think of mountains, we think of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Dooars, their spiral roads, tea gardens, fluffy clouds, pine

"In Mahabharata, there is the tale of Lord Krishna asking Maya Danava, a great architect/artist to construct an astounding palace

Handmade paper has a checkered history that’s thousands of years old. The handmade papermaking technology was mass accepted and considered

Established in 1863 to help education go beyond the confines of the classroom, Santiniketan grew into the Visva Bharati University

How about viewing a bit of Bengal’s own Kantha work on a 1915 painting by the famous surrealist artist Marc

There is a strong influence of the legend Kobiguru Rabindranath Tagore on every Bengali. The very first memory of our

Brahmapur is a neighbouring town of Kolkata, in the southern fringes of the city, and is flanked by Bansdroni to

Everything ‘royal’ still brings up a lot of enthusiasm across the globe and though King Charles III’s Coronation as the

Bengal’s cotton and printed handloom sarees have long crosses oceans and continents and reached the inner sanctum of world-renowned designers.

There was a time when the artists and artisans of Bengal used a variety of colours produced in a traditional

“Mimi, Mimi, Mimi…..” Nandan auditorium reverberated with the sound of an enraptured audience yelling and clapping incessantly demanding an encore

Bengal is a rich treasure trove of traditional music, art and craft, and indigenous dance and folk forms. Much of

One of the most popular artists of Bengal is Jamini Roy. He represents an epoch of history that shows the

Most of us have heard people say, “It’s just not in the cards for me to …”  when things didn’t

The dying Boat Art of Bengal is all set to sail again on a new high as the complex technique

New Town, the swanky satellite city of Kolkata, is fast developing into the city for the future. Both the public

In a world of turmoil, violence and turbulence, Nature is perhaps the only refuge that one’s broken mind and body

“The person who is not roused by a pulsating image, a small touch or sound, can make no sense of

The picturesque trails traversing the heartland of Bankura district of West Bengal converging to the ‘Terracotta Hub of Bengal’ Panchmura,

It is a common phenomenon these days in bustling urban cities like Kolkata, to spot old buildings being taken over

For centuries, ‘Kantha’ has bridged the gap between the rich and the poor in Bengal, and served as a pool

The red laterite path led through cashew plantations as dusk arrived slowly and silently to the village of Khawabgaon, the

Winter in Kolkata is always fun, not just for the chill in the air, but also for the fun and

Conceived by a Muslim. Carried out by Hindus. On church property. All the activity centring around a quintessentially Bengali art

IArtists reside in every corner of the world. In our lives, art plays an important role in rejuvenating us and

Shankher korat Those familiar with Bengali proverbs will know all about a ‘shankher korat’, the nearest English equivalent probably being ‘between

Whenever we think of dolls made of shellac, the first thing that comes to mind is the shellac dolls of

Diwali doll has its origin around the Diwali festival and its purpose is to provide illumination with lamps. Made of

Kalighat sharas In the age of modernization, most of our old practices and traditions are getting replaced or refurbished. Things that

In what is one of the most endearing stories of friendship and love to come out this festive season, one

Human beings are born creative and then taught to be uncreative as they grow older. A creative soul can breathe

The year was 1923. Inspired by Rabindranath Tagore’s vision of rural development which had led to the foundation of Sriniketan,

Diehard Kolkatans know full well what a typical Kolkata fish market is like. Chaotic, messy, smelly, yet strangely exhilarating. And

When you think of Bengal masters in the field of art, no matter how short your list, Ganesh Haloi (b.

You may think there’s nothing more to be said or written about the clay dolls of Krishnangar, considering how famous

The many attractive designs created with this ingredient to serve as ornamental decorations and articles needed for ceremonial occasions can

As Britain celebrates 70 years or the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II's reign, Bengal makes its presence felt… with

WWe have found it impossible to come up with a catch-all definition for the crafts of Bengal. But we can

If boarding ot getting off a train at Howrah station, you will now have a chance to buy the best

For everyone who has ever walked into an art exhibition or looked at a painting or been intimidated by an

Drafting of Indian Constitution was a monumental task, but what about handwriting it and then illustrating it with relevant motifs

What happens when a polymath and artist designer approaches design as a complex nation-building idiom? They surely in the process

A giant mural of Satyajit Ray adorning the wall of a Metro Railway building in the Charu Market area of

Bengal and its artisans have been leading practitioners of terracotta art for several centuries now. Beginning with mosques and temples,

The City of Joy stays forever etched in a person’s mind with its unique attributes, be it the famous yellow

Handcrafted dolls have been part of Bengal's handicraft heritage since ancient times. From Mojilpur dolls in the Joynogor-Mojilpur area to

‘Que sera, sera/ Whatever will be, will be… A couple of days ago I was scrawling my Facebook account when suddenly

They wove the best cotton saris of India since decades, but their slow looms did not help them compete with

What, exactly, is an ‘art fair’? Artspace magazine defines it thus: “On the most basic level, an art fair is

The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world, with annual production amounting to 400 billion

The recent passing of Narayan Debnath, one of Bengal’s most iconic graphic illustrators, has perhaps revived several questions relating to

Matryoshka fish, inspired by Russian Matryoshka dolls A beautiful sunset, brilliantly coloured birds, pouring rain, undersea miracles. All part of nature,

She is just 21-year-old. But Srotoswini Sinha is already making ripples with her artwork on climate change. She has been

As rivers of the world go, the Bhagirathi-Hooghly has never really attained the iconic status accorded to the Indus, or

The medium of art that requires the most intimate human touch and undergoes a radical transformation is ceramic. Be it

“There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.”  – Edith Wharton Diwali aka

It was the fag end of the 19th-century and the year was 1892 (some say 1894) when Binodbihari Pal and

HRecently Tarakeshwar-based artist Malay Ghosh’s name appeared in the prestigious ‘India Book of Records 2021’ for drawing a miniature portrait

Actor-producer Rituparna Sengupta, curator Myna Mukherjee, artist Harshit Agarwal, and filmmaker Ranjan Ghosh at the inauguration The man vs machine debate

Kanthalia village in Murshidabad district is renowned for its clay dolls. The potter community of this locality has been making

A bus operating on Bolpur-Siuri route in Birbhum district stands next to vast expanse of open paddy fields. As you

Two mat (madur in Bengali) artisans from Paschim Medinipur, Gouri Bala Das and Gouri Rani Jana, have been selected for

Son of a Hindu father, who made sculptures and a Muslim mother, whose family was Pata painters, Uttam Chitrakar of

The total area of the conch shell is not more than 11 inches but the detailed miniature art carved on

It was a warm afternoon in 1982 in Kolkata, when legendary film maker Satyajit Ray received a phone call from

The term Dokra (or Dhokra) comes from the Dokra Damar tribe, an extensive ethnic community now spread all across India.

The ancient settlement of Jaynagar-Mojilpur stands at the gateway of the Adi Ganga in the Sunderbans. Most Bengalis know the

“A pen is the tongue of the mind” Creation of pens has essentially facilitated the basis of our civilization. It is

PThe Dark Goddess Kali is not just another idol depicting a religious fervor --- rather it is all about meeting

My Bishnupur trail did not just end with the famous terracotta temples or Rash Mancha. It was also about the

Every artist has his/her own style of expression but there are gifted ones whose signature styles set them apart from

The ‘Arts of India’ sale at Christie’s London has scored a whooping Rs 12 crore or 1,350,000 pounds in a

The inner world of asanas An island peeps in the middle as Ganga envelops it from all sides,  This is the place

When the chants of Bharat Mata ki jai often floats around these days in political rallies, it is indeed curious

Rural and once upon a time urban Bengal were well conversant with adda sessions, sitting together on a mat spread

The relationship between Bengal and terracotta has long been a special one. Beginning with mosques and temples, which were made

‘It is freedom when your spirit conjures up a vision from the inert, to illuminate its every line with the

Kolkatans of a certain age and beyond will recall a large emporium at Exide crossing, filled to the brim with

Goddess Kali has been conceptualized and expressed in myriad ways by artists. Songs of piety praising her various facets are

Her flowing black mane covers her nudity as she represents the Tantrik Shakti of the Universe. But have you ever

A large number of British landscape artists started coming to Kolkata during the last quarter of 18th century with the

There's a beautiful piece of cloth adorning a wall in the living room of former US President Barack Obama, one

Weaving in India has a history of no less than 5,000 years. There was a time when the weavers’ hub

Since childhood, we have all been fed on a staple diet of folklores and fairy tales. Once upon a time…Magic

‘A hundred yards of it can pass through the eye of the needle, so fine is its texture, and yet

The first time I met Sharbari Dutta, she was busy organising an exhibition of her clothes, and didn't have much

He was a self-taught artist. Yet, he excelled in his art forms. Gaganendranath Tagore, Abanindranath’s brother, was one of the

Burdwan district is rich with historical legacies. Natungram is an hour’s drive from Burdwan station. This small village, or more

Weavers of Phulia are well-known across the globe for their exceptional weaving design, texture and make of their sarees. So

This is a story about the power of one. One man's struggle to keep alive a dying art. Depressingly familiar

The humble grass that we trample every day can be turned into exclusive and exquisite export items! Well at least

One of the most popular dictionary definitions of a tote bag, or simply tote, is ‘a large and strong bag’,

Balagarh is a non-descript sleepy hamlet, situated 115 km North of Kolkata, by the river Hooghly. It is the heart

Anyone who has ever lived in, or visited, Kolkata will have their own opinions about what makes the city special,

Nationally reputed advertising professional from India, Uttaran Chaudhury believed that ‘an idea can go global’ and he was right. From

Nadiia Doicheva has graduated from the Art Academy in traditional painting. She uses the acquired skills in digital art and

 The Mughal era artists had answered to the sensual call of the rains by rendering its romance on a blank

Arini Sengupta is a student of St. Joseph Catholic School, England. She loves to draw, play the piano and sing.   #Goviraltostopthevirus

Sanjib Ghosh has been working with media agencies for the last twenty years. His main field of interest is photography.     The

Born and brought up in Chennai, Arunagiri Somasundram had found his interest in clay modelling as a child. Later he

Born and brought up in Nabadwip, West Bengal, Pritam Sarkar has studied Philosophy from Krishnanagar Government College and completed his

Jiban Biswas is an artist by profession. He had been a student of Government College of Art and Craft, Kolkata.     The

Born and brought up in Kolkata, a self–schooled professional photographer, Satyaki Ghosh grew up on a staple diet of meaningful

Ishita Adhikary is a self taught, new media artist from Kolkata. She has been creating her works mostly through digital

Receiver of The Kavi Salam Award 2018, Sufia Khatoon is a multi-lingual performance poet, editor, translator, artist and illustrator based

Suman Saha has completed his BFA from The Indian College of Arts and Draftmanship in 2018. At present, he is

Bappa Bhowmick has studied Fine Arts from Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata. At present, Bappa Bhowmick is associated

Susunia Hills of Bankura located at 1450 ft attracts tourists all round the year. But many of us probably are

Born and brought up in Cooch Behar, West Bengal, Kachan Karjee is a sculptor by profession. Karjee has done his

Samik De is a chartered accountant by profession but his passion has been art from a very young age.He is

Twenty three years into the field of advertising, Sarasij Dasgupta is presently working with Wunderman Thompson as a senior creative

Taal-patar Sepai is a hypocorism in Bengali used to address a weak and rickety person who shows bravado. But to

Sukamal Khatua has completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (Indian Painting) from the Government College of Art and Craft,

Resident of Kolkata, Jhuma Kundu (Dimpi) is a ceramic artist. She has completed her undergraduate course in Ceramics from Government

Sankha Banerjee is an assistant professor— Department of Multimedia, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata and an independent art practitioner • Your first

Pritam Bhattacharya is a freelance artist from Krishnanagar, West Bengal. He has been into this field for more than ttwo decades.

Born and brought up in Krishnanagar, West Bengal, Sourav Roy completed his graduation from Presidency College, Kolkata- Department of Bengali.

Souvik Mitra has been practising art from a young age as his pastime. At present, he is an Engineering student.     The

Avrajit Saha is a student of The Indian College Of Arts And Draftsmanship from the Department of Painting.   The #Goviraltostopthevirus is

Debarshi Ganguly is an Information Technology professional. Besides being an IT professional, he is a musician too. Art and painting

Born and brought up in Kolkata, Shatadru Banerjee is a freelance artist. He completed his Bachelor's and Masters from Government

Godhuli Gupta completed her undergraduate degree in Applied Art from College of Art and Design, Burdwan. Born and brought up

Born and brought up in Bengal, Prasanta Pal has completed his Masters in Painting from Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata, in

Ishani Chaudhuri is a student of class IX, Indus Valley School, Kolkata. Ishani has shown her interest in drawing, sketching

Pallavi Majumder is a painter and an installation artist from Kolkata. At present, she is a third-year Ph.D. student in

Ranjan Show has an experience of more than seven years in the field of advertising. Presently, Ranjan is working as

Moloch gibbons, long tailed macaque, sloth bears, gerbils… They jump around on forest trees, just like they come alive on

Debpriya Basu is a fourth year student of UttarBanga Krishi Vidyalaya but his passion is in painting from an early

Born and brought up in Hooghly district of West Bengal, Gopal Roy is a painter by profession. He has been

Eszter Láncos is a creative writer and an independent scholar. She has completed her M.A. in English. Besides being a

Dayananda Dasgupta is a student of Patha Bhavan, Kolkata. He loves to play and watch cartoons and movies. Besides his

Jogen Chowdhury, known as ‘Jogen da’ by his close friends and fans, was one of many who migrated from their

Sugriv Kumar had been a student of Bio Science from Asutosh College Kolkata. He has always been fascinated by advertisements

Nandita Dutta, a resident of Kolkata, has always been interested in graphic design and had done a course for the

There was a time when puppetry held a pivotal role in traditional entertainment of Bengal. No fair was complete without

Srijani Ghosh is student of Auxilium Convernt School, Barasat. 18-year-old Srijani not just enjoys photography but is also fond of

Debabrata Biswas is a senior web graphic designer at Indus Net Technologies. He is being guided by artist Samir Sarkar

Barna Goswami is a student of Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata. She is pursuing her Bachelor's degree in Applied Art.     Barna's poster

Durga Dasgupta is a student of class VIII, Patha Bhavan School, Kolkata. Apart from drawing and painting, she has a

If Upendrakisor Raychowdhury reminds you of Tuntunir Boi or Goopi Gayen Bagha Bayen, then you probably know just a fragment

Guided by Sanjib Roy, Jagannath Pal and Arijit Chowdhury, Mou Chakraborty has completed her Graduation in Painting from College of

Prasenjit Bera has completed his Graduation in Graphic Design and Applied Art from Government College of Art and Craft, Kolkata,

Tracy Lee Stum is a professional  3D Street painter and author. Sayak Mitra is an Art Practitioner and at present,

Anurit Ghosh is a student of Class XII, Don Bosco, Bandel. Besides studies, art has kept him engaged from his

A doctor by profession, Chiranjit Samanta is presently a faculty member of the Medical College, Kolkata. Painting and designing book

Born and brought up in Bankura, Sunetra has completed her Bachelors and Masters from Government College of Art and Craft,

An independent film-maker, Ranjay Raychoudhury, has been working in short films; associated with Turtle films production. He has also helped

Have you ever heard of Roman Script typefaces, ‘Ray Roman,’ ‘Ray Bizarre,’ ‘Daphnis,’ and ‘Holiday Script?’—Four new fonts invented by

Working with several agencies like Ogilvy and Mather, DDB Mundra in the past, Siddhartha Sankar Roy is currently working with

Sourish Mitra  completed his Bachelor's in Commercial Art from Government College of Art and Craft, Kolkata, batch of 2005.  Besides advertising,

Prasenjit Bera has completed his Graduation in Graphic Design and Applied Art from Government College of Art and Craft, Kolkata,

Gourab Jana has completed his Masters in Applied Art from Government College of Art and Craft, Kolkata, in 2018. Since

Born and brought up in Krishnagar, West Bengal, Biswarup Nath has been into the field of advertising for the past

Right at this moment, as the world is coming to a standstill with the COVID 19 pandemic with fear, uncertainty

The art world has been eagerly waiting to lay their eyes upon this hidden gem by the pioneer of modern

If women with almond eyes and curvaceous figures caught your eyes on Indian temple walls, they found an answer on

He was the quintessential ‘Everyman.’ With a crown full of unruffled, matted hair, the strap of a much-used, shabby cotton

It is beyond our imagination to envision the life of females in 19th-century colonial Bengal. On the fragile shoulders of

Pottery has always been an integral part of Bengal. Beginning from the Chalcolithic period  (the Chalcolithic period refers to that

The art of printing could be traced back to the lanes of Battala in North Kolkata, the birthplace of the

Terracotta or clay craft has been the symbol of man’s first attempt at craftsmanship, just as the potter’s wheel was

Bengal has a rich cultural and artistic heritage. Its myriad artistic diversity is manifested in traditional handicrafts, masks, painting and

It was one of the most picturesque trails I had taken in years through the heartland of West Bengal. I

The date was April 9, 1956. It was 9.15pm. BBC’s switchboard suddenly lit up with calls from hundreds of viewers

Just like Marc Riboud once said: ‘Taking pictures is savoring life intensely, every hundredth of a second,’ well-known senior bureaucrat

Kolkata of 1970s was a revolutionary city, where protests were the order of the day. After all, the fire that

As the capital of the British Raj between 1858 and 1911, Calcutta has long been at the crossroads of multiple

For designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee going global is nothing new. He has collaborated with French luxury fashion house Balmain and Italian

Rabindranath Tagore’s Santiniketan had welcomed scholars from across the globe and the poet had a deep connect with China. So

Art is freedom and art fairs nurture that boundless freedom. This wintry weekend, MAYA Art Space brings a vibrant Art

Steeped in history, Bishnupur of Bankura is famous for its exquisite terracotta temples. It also has a glorious past that

It is said that each and every wall of Kolkata is a rich treasure-trove of historical resources. They have tales

March 17, 1935. A peace-loving great humanist and poet-artist sketched the profile of hated tyrant-dictator, Benito Mussolini – one who

That delicate handspun Muslin, globally revered, locally spun by weavers down generations have always touched a connoisseur’s dream to own

Do you still have that Madur at home, the one we sat on during our childhood days with a bowl

Kolkata has always shown enormous love for art and has been a creative platform for budding artists.  On the 12th

Nestled amid nature in Bankura lies a quaint hamlet. From the highway, a long, dusty, rusty-red laterite soil path leads

Bengal’s Alpana is unique, not just for its colourful motifs, sacred art or painting done with hands, but also for

I was privileged to attend Kolkata Government Art College 155th annual exhibition named ‘Parampara’. The oldest art college in Asia

Their men once upon a time were famous potters of Bengal. But lack of government funding and profits from selling

Alpona has always been an intrinsic part of Bengali art and ethos. However, due to lack of time, space and

This is where the huge horizon acts like a canvas with statues and murals of international acclaim rising before your

This Lakshmi Puja, most Bengali homes will find artistic motifs of Alpona drawn across floors. Motifs of sun, lotus, fish,

Seminal Indian artist Ramkinkar Baij was a genius and so were his expressions while sculpting Mahatma Gandhi’s statues. For he

Remember that palm leaf sepoy that you played with in your childhood? Yes, in absence of electronic gadgets, children once

From the 26th to 30th of August, 2019, Jhargram's Khwaabgaon (Lalbazar) village witnessed a Potochitra Painting Workshop focusing on tribal

There was a time when fibre glass Durga idols made way to various cities of USA and Europe months before

Actor, musician and performing artist Sujoy Prosad Chatterjee speaks to Saheli Mitra on his newly launched jewellery and fashion accessories range.

His constant companion was a sketchbook and pen. For that’s how artist Rathin Mitra captured the heart and soul of

Imagine a small tribal hamlet of Bengal that has turned into an art village with all mud houses painted in

Remember the opening scene of French cult filmmaker Jean Renoir’s The River, filmed in 1950 at Barrackpore? That intricate drawing

Kalighat painting or pat was not a well-recognized form of art and took years even to be marked as a

Author and philosopher, Howard Thurman had once said, “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you

Terracotta of Bankura, clay dolls of Nadia, Kantha works of Birbhum, Dokra of Purulia, Midnapore and Burdwan – and one

Kala Bhavan of Santiniketan has always been the home ground of what the world celebrated as Bengal School of Art.

Remember that Padma Sandesh or Golap Bahar or even the Haansh Sandesh and Chandrapuli that your grandma made at home?

As one steps inside the Kala Bhavan campus of Santiniketan, one comes across three stupendous murals, that will catch your

Since 1987, Jogen Chowdhury has been working on line drawings and sketches. One gets to see them often on picture

Sanatan Dinda is a four-time World Champion in Body Painting. Yet, very few of us know of this achievement of

Nilanjan Bandyopadhyay is a poet, but is fond of writing short poems in form of calligraphy. He is re-interpreting this

Shubhankar Das is an M.Phil scholar from Jadavpur University, scrawler and a stargazer Some journeys are unique. Just like the journey

Moments freeze on frames. That’s how moments are kept alive and dreams are made. Walking down memory lanes enables a

DEBANJANA SAHA & SUMAN SADHU Asim Paul, not just makes Durga idols these days, he also makes idols of Great Men

‘The offered one..’ well, this is an offering made not to God, but to the upliftment of a society under

K.G. Subramanyan or Kalpathi Ganpathi Subramanyan, quite legitimately is known as one of the towering figures of Indian modern art,

In an exclusive interview to GB, Kolkata’s artist Sudip Chatterjee speaks on why and how his paintings were featured on

All cottage industries are not lost! Even though modern technology tries to push them into oblivion. Take for example the

Koch-Debjani, Sujata, Santhal Family, Buddha, Fountain – these are some of the world-renowned sculptures by Ramkinkar Baij which were created

The very mention of ‘Clay and brush’ envisages the image of an intimate dialogue between clay and colours. Clay is

Phulia in Nadia district is the hub of handloom weaving of Bengal and its exquisite taantsarees are household names across

While on a customary Bijoya visit, artist Partha Dasgupta spoke to famous artist Jogen Chowdhury to find out his take

Again, a talented Bengali is crowned on the world stage. This year,SanatanDinda bagged the first prize in the coveted World

Its rightly said Bengal is the culture capital of India. Else who could have thought of getting to see paintings

An age-old cottage industry of Bengal is making of floor mats, popularly known as madur. Men grow reeds in the

Last year Maya Art Space in Kolkata hosted an exhibition of artist Partha Dasgupta’s ceramics creations titled “Amrit”. “Mrit” was

Gaganendranath Tagore The rainy season has made a late but grand entrance into Bengal this year. Kolkata has finally drenched her

The most diverse clan amongst the folk artists of West Bengal is that of the patuas or the scroll painters.