Winter art and the Bengal Biennale

Artist Paresh Maity creates the most instagrammed spot in front of Victoria Memorial.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Director and curator Siddharth Sivakumar and Trustees Malvika Banerjee and Jeet Banerjee’s Gameplan have launched the first- ever Bengal Biennale, a multigenerational tapestry of artistic expression, bringing together a diverse array of artists and their unique perspectives.

The event this winter, to be held across two venues — the university town of Santiniketan from November 29 to December 22, 2024, and the metropolis of Kolkata from December 6, 2024 to January 5, 2025, –features artists and curators who challenge traditional boundaries and create immersive, thought-provoking installations.

Nobel Prize-winning economist Prof Abhijit Banerjee and graphic novelist, author and filmmaker Sarnath Banerjee join hands for Water Tells, curated by Anshuman Dasgupta at Mitali Homestays, an iconic family home in Santiniketan. This installation highlights the intersection of art, storytelling and social issues, and deals with topics such as water and the human lives associated with it, and cultural integration.

Paula Sengupta and husband Sujoy Das – Tibet in Exile at The Academy.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Sanchayan Ghosh’s Anatomy of a landscape is on at the same venue. Ghosh’s work often engages with public spaces and community participation. His projects encourage viewers to interact with the environment and reflect on their relationship with the land.

Mithu Sen creates a hut inside the Santhal village with the script.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Mithu Sen offers a glimpse of Santhali culture in Santhal Village, which revives their lifestyle and life skills. I am Ol Chiki is much talked about for its bold assertion of the Santhali identity. The mural features the Ol Chiki script, developed by Raghunath Murmu, and fills the walls with symbols that announce the presence of Santhali language and the revival of its cultural narrative.

Author Devdutt Pattanaik brings his deep understanding of Indian mythology in the form of artwork to the Biennale. His work often reinterprets ancient stories to reflect contemporary issues and perspectives. Nikhil Chopra’s interactive performance Land Becoming Water will be held at Tokaroun. It is set in the rain-drenched fields of Santiniketan, where the earth transforms under the weight of tropical deluges.

His work explores art, nature, and community at different levels. Chopra’s performance art delves into themes of transformation and fluidity, blurring the boundaries between land and water. By engaging with the natural elements of Santiniketan, Chopra creates a sensory experience that resonates with the local community and visitors.

A display at the Bengal Biennale.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Sudarshan Shetty’s multimedia installations often explore themes of transience and transformation. His work combines traditional Indian art forms with contemporary practices, creating a dialogue between the past and the present. His work will show at The Academy of Fine Arts in Kolkata. At the same venue, Chhatrapati Dutta’s installation Shadow Lines sees an interplay of memory and images creating multiple stories. This particular work is about the trauma not only of The Partition but an extension of trauma.

Artist and sculptor Paresh Maity has a public sculpture of an interactive larger-than-life bronze jackfruit (said to be the single largest art object in India now, at 7,000 kilograms) right in front of Victoria Memorial. The installation is a throwback to the time when Maity saw his mother cut a jackfruit into pieces, and was confused, because it was sometimes a fruit and a vegetable at others. The garden at the Memorial comes alive with anecdotes about Maity’s journey from watercolour artist to sculptor. .

There’s more modern installation by Paula Sengupta. Her Tibet in Exile (illuminated prayer wheels in motion) at The Academy, goes with photos from her husband Sujoy Das’ treks. Sengupta’s work is deeply personal and poignant. Her interactions with the Dalai Lama come through in her work, and when seen with Das’ photography, it creates a harmonious blend of art forms. This collaboration highlights the resilience and beauty of Tibetan culture in exile.