A cut above the rest

Serigraphs by Suhas Roy.

Silk screen is a type of graphic art, says Monirul Islam, of Spain fame, one of the 15 celebrated artists, whose works are on display at a week long exhibition at Chitrak. Sometimes his drawing appears like a horse, and at times, it appears like the wind. “The artist offers an image, and the art lover uses his imagination to interpret whatever he fancies,” says Monir. Normally he uses colour, but here he has used black and white, which personally appeals to him because of its dramatic effect. The composition and tonal variation has a universal appeal.
“Line also has a language,” Monir says. Tension and nervousness can be read in the lines, says the artist. This is very different from the work he has done earlier. Thus it is easy to communicate with India from Bangladesh. It is like films, where there is one main actor and other supporting actors. If Monir uses lines, he stresses on lines for effect, says the artist himself.
Shahabuddin Ahmed, says Moinuddin Khalid, the famous art critic, has here used serigraph, which is important in the print-making process. Serigraph is like a screen print. There are two artists from Bangladesh and 13 from India, says the critic. Shahabuddin deals with force. He has brought in a bull with horns and hooves. One sees the legs. There are two types of treatment that makes the force visible, we see the face and the horns, the hind legs are out of focus. Black and gray are used in the print.
Jaya Ganguly has brought in the distortion of a face. The face relates to expressionism--but there are other elements like arrows and nails. One can make out the details, such as the tongue and the nose. Squiggles enter the composition pertaining to life around us.
Sunil Das, from Kolkata is famous for painting different types of horses. Here the steed appears to be dancing, and snorting at the same time--as if it were a circus horse. The front hoofs are in the air. It is in gray and black. The eyes are focused to the front.

Serigraphs by Suhas Roy.

Amitabh Banerjee has two figures--in a nightmarish conception of a male and female element. They appear to be balanced on a see-saw like element. This is to illustrate speed or a mood.
Joysree Chakravorty portrays a bird. This wild bird has a long tail and beak. Around it are squiggles. There are also dots in white, around it. The bird appears to be pecking at something. The piece is in black and white.
Dilip Renata presents a fantasy. There is a westernised doctor with a suit and bowler hat. The patient is dressed as any local Indian. They both carry a bunch of flowers. There is an earthenware vessel in between. There are medical science elements, as Moinuddin Khalid puts it. The piece is called “Duet”.
“The Nude” is by Kashinath Salva. The minimal lines of the figure drawing shows the back of a beautiful woman. Her fingers, knees and backbone have been delineated with care and harmony.
Other artists of repute such as Sudhir Patwardha, depicts a farmer with his master strokes. Samir Aich portrays a breathing dragon.
Suhas Roy's portrait captures a remarkable face with eloquent features and a massive bunch of curly hair.
Ganesh Haloi with his abstract landscape speaks for the dignity of each piece in the exhibit.