Poor get poorer
As always, given the inequities built into the global economic system, the poorest people in the world have been the…
Artists are picked up from all over India and transported to exotic locations where they would be asked to express themselves on canvas while relishing the atmosphere of a picnic. The organiser grabbed a painting or two as a bargain.
This was the trend till a few years ago till the art market began to witness a slump. Kolkata-based painters made the best use of the opportunity to interact with juniors and spend some quality time outside the confines of their studio.
However, all this was a matter of the past. The trend was known to have died when suddenly a young painter based in Howrah revived pleasant memories through the camp he organised at his home in what looked like a unique rural environment.
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A young faculty member of the Government Art College in Kolkata, Swapan Jana hosted the event in what was in fact backward locality in Howrah and invited at least 70 practising painters and sculptors to spend a couple of days drawing artistic inspiration from their surroundings.
Himself a ceramic artist, he made it a point to offer to give his senior colleagues as well as those of his age to find the best ideas. Shuvaprasanna, in his own style, painted an owl.
Partha Pratim Deb, Tapas Konar, Pradip Rakshit and Chhatrapati Dutta worked in their own styles. What commercial arrangements were made for the final works is not known but the mood at the camp was convincingly positive.
The most interesting aspect was the inclusion of senior members of Kerala Lalit Kala Academi. They expressed the hope that the event would result in more exchange programmes.
In fact, not much art travels between states. This initiative may help open new windows – more so because Swapan Jana wishes to make it an annual event.
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