IArtists reside in every corner of the world. In our lives, art plays an important role in rejuvenating us and providing an escape from our monotonous daily hustle. This December there is an opportunity to witness the artworks of various artists who have gathered at
Shankher korat Those familiar with Bengali proverbs will know all about a ‘shankher korat’, the nearest English equivalent probably being ‘between a rock and a hard place’. The proverbial ‘korat’ is a fearsome circular cutter used to carve bangles out of conch shells, and what has
Whenever we think of dolls made of shellac, the first thing that comes to mind is the shellac dolls of Birbhum. The Nuri community of Ilambazar was once renowned for producing attractive shellac dolls, as it was readily available in this region. The artisans used
Diwali doll has its origin around the Diwali festival and its purpose is to provide illumination with lamps. Made of terracotta, the lower part of this doll is produced in a round mould and is hollow. Although it has the appearance of a skirt, it
Kalighat sharas In the age of modernization, most of our old practices and traditions are getting replaced or refurbished. Things that made sense even 10 years ago are now becoming obsolete. The earlier generations were very conservative and did not accept any changes to the norm
In what is one of the most endearing stories of friendship and love to come out this festive season, one of Bengal's most talented visual artists Oiendrila Ray Kapur has created a stunning art work of Goddess Durga as a way to pray for the
Human beings are born creative and then taught to be uncreative as they grow older. A creative soul can breathe life into a block of wood or sculpt ethereal figures from stones or take a lump of soil to make exquisite idols. People who retain
The year was 1923. Inspired by Rabindranath Tagore’s vision of rural development which had led to the foundation of Sriniketan, freedom fighter Susen Mukherjee came up with the idea of Amar Kutir. Just about a decade later, Amar Kutir began to draw the attention of
Diehard Kolkatans know full well what a typical Kolkata fish market is like. Chaotic, messy, smelly, yet strangely exhilarating. And the hilarious conversations between seller and buyer would probably form a book! Indeed, humour is never far from the life of the average Bengali. These
When you think of Bengal masters in the field of art, no matter how short your list, Ganesh Haloi (b. 1936), Jogen Chowdhury (b. 1939), and Sanat Kar (b. 1935) will be on it. And for the first time, all three are being brought together