About the Book
Book: An Ode to a Legend
Publisher: Gallery Sliver Scapes & Dhoominal Gallery
Price: Rs 5000/-
A definitive tribute, ‘Bimal Das Gupta: An Ode to a Legend,’ explores his artistic evolution, abstract mastery, and enduring legacy in modernism, says SAKSHI PRIYA
Bimal Das Gupta’s legacy is one that deserves far more recognition than it has received over the years. A pioneer of abstraction in Indian modernism, he defied artistic conventions, mastering multiple mediums with an effortless fluidity that set him apart. On the occasion of his 30th death anniversary, Bimal Das Gupta: An Ode to a Legend pays tribute to his extraordinary contributions, offering a deep dive into his artistic journey and the sheer brilliance of his work.
Edited and curated by Archana Khare Ghose and curated by Vikram Mayor, Art Curator of Gallery Silver Scapes, and Uday Jain, Art Curator of Dhoomimal Gallery, the book is a comprehensive collection of essays, archival material, and personal anecdotes. It features contributions from notable art critics, historians, and artists, including Ashok Vajpeyi, Ina Puri, Prayag Shukla, and Niren Sengupta, each offering unique perspectives on Gupta’s impact on Indian modernism. The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) has also contributed images from its permanent collection, reinforcing his place in India’s artistic history.
The book meticulously traces Gupta’s artistic evolution, starting with his early watercolours from the 1930s, where his deep connection to nature is evident. His landscapes from this period, such as the Fantasy series, demonstrate his mastery of light and composition. His fascination with marine landscapes, developed from his frequent travels by ship, is reflected in his seascapes from 1970 to 1982, capturing the ever-changing moods of the ocean. The book also highlights his experimentation with Neo-Tantric abstraction in the late 1960s, where symbols, dots, and strokes of red evoke deeper philosophical meanings, as seen in Prakriti.
His shift from figuration to abstraction is explored through essays that detail his influences-from the landscapes of Bengal and Rajasthan to his exposure to European modernism during his travels to Poland, Germany, and France. This period marked a turning point in his career, inspiring semi-abstract and fully abstract compositions such as Houses, a constructivist cityscape that showcases his evolving artistic language.
The book includes rare archival material, such as a 1949 oil painting that demonstrates his early forays into abstraction, blending cubist influences with Indian motifs.
‘The Cosmic Dance,’ an abstract interpretation of Shiva and Parvati, is another highlight, capturing movement and energy through vibrant colour choices. His later works from the 1980s, particularly his acrylic pieces, reveal a striking interplay of opacity and transparency, imitating the wash-like effect of watercolours.
Through Bimal Das Gupta: An Ode to a Legend, his story resurfaces with renewed vigour. The book offers an in-depth understanding of his artistic brilliance, celebrating an artist who saw beyond form and colour, capturing the essence of nature and abstraction in a way that remains unparalleled.
