North-East Opsis

Art Scene of Assam

Vipul Chandra Das

It was a season of minimalism and abstraction in the art scene of Assam. Among the art exhibitions and shows held during the last two months, the two most note-worthy events showcased artistic leanings for abstractionist expression and minimalist rendering. The first was an art camp & symposium themed “Black & White” and the other an exhibition of oil on canvas and an installation titled “Pieces of peace” by Delhi based artist from Assam, Vipul Chandra Das.
 

Prabhakar Kolte

The art camp which was held from 23rd to 29th April, 2010 had been conceived and co-ordinated by Ganesh Gohain, the sculptor and Baroda based artist from Assam. Building bridges amongst artists from diverse regions was the theme of this third camp and symposium organized by Wanderlust Art Foundation of Baroda, the foundation for the promotion of art in India organized in Assam at the Brahmaputra Jungle Resort, a resort with serene sylvan surrounding, nestled at the foothill of Sonapur, Guwahati, an ideal place for creative meditative contemplation away from the maddening crowd. The aim of the art camp as stated by Sandeep Diwan, the director of Wanderlust Art Foundation, was to focus on upcoming artists of Assam and to bring out the best potential of these artists and art students. The seven artists from other parts of India were Prabhakar Kolte, Antonio Ecosta, Pradeep Nerurkar, Prakash Waghmare, Ganesh Gohain, Kiomi Talaulicar, Santana Gohain, Himanshu Joshi and Vanita Gupta while artists from Assam included Neel Pawan Baruah, Noni Borpujari, Dilip Tamuly, Lutfa Akhtar, Munin Bhattacharya, Manoj Roy, Shobhakar Laskar, Kishor Kumar Das, Maneswar Brahma, Prabin Nath and Niva Devi.
 

Pradeep Nerurkar

Each day of the camp was marked with committed engagement to the rendering of the art-works by each participating artist during the daytime followed by discussions about art in the evening symposiums. The days were marked by active participation, interaction and enthusiastic response on the part of both the artist and the spectators. The symposiums were conducted by writer and art-critic Moushumi Kandali assisted by Simanta Pratim Bordoloi. The first day of the symposium on the 23rd April had slide presentation by five artists namely, Prabhakar Kolte, Noni Borpujari, Pradeep Nerurkar, Prakash Waghmare and Vanita Gupta. The next symposium on 24th April had another five artists Antonio Ecosta, Ganesh Gohain, Santana Gohain, Kiyomi Talaulicar, and Maneswar Brahma. Each artist along with their slide presentation talked about the artistic backdrop or the thematic grounds, the process of arriving at a definite mediumistic choice and stylistic idiom. The third day saw the artworks of Neel Pawan Baruah, Dilip Tamuly, Munin Bhattacharya, Prabin Nath and Niva Devi. There were discussions among the gathering and the art students availed this opportunity to show their own works to the established artists and seek their guidance which was indeed an enlightening experience for them. The camp concluded with the display of all the works produced during the workshop by the artists and interested quarters came to experience, appreciate, and enjoy the artworks. Each artwork dealt with different explorations in forms, colours, textures, layered with various technical and mediumistic experimentations.
 

Vinita Gupta

The exhibition by Vipul Chandra Das was inaugurated by noted poet and art-critic Nilomoni Phukan on 17th May at the State Art Gallery, Ambari, Guwahati. The seven day exhibition comprising several paintings and an installation had unfolded a spectre of artworks in different abstractionist mode of expression. Working with throbbing forms, vibrant colours and cataclysmic rhythms and brisk restless movements, Vipul seemed to capture an inner scape of different humane psyche and emotions. His works were also marked by the impressions of a mind torn by the socio-political violence and turmoil of his native land. As commented by Keshav Malik in the catalogue of the exhibition, Vipul's works are “…volatile, and in search of some magnum moment…”

 

Moushumi Kandali