Humans are surrounded by different elements of nature – be it living beings or inanimate objects, in all kinds of shapes, colours and sizes. To some, these variations may mean nothing, but to some others, these are inspirations of artistic endeavour.
In such a setting, artists are spokespersons of what is happening around them, and Ranjit Das is one such artist. He has portrayed his surroundings in 34 paintings, currently on display at his solo exhibition titled “Looking Up and Above” at Gallery Kaya in the capital, which began on Friday.
“My paintings are my constant endeavour to capture the true characteristics of my surroundings. Nature has various shapes and forms. As an artist, I tried to translate those aspects of nature into a humanitarian form on the canvas,” Ranjit said about his paintings.
A proficient artist, Ranjit paints using different media, such as acrylic on canvas, ink on paper, charcoal on paper, and graphite and chalk pastel on paper. However, in the exhibit most of the paintings have been done in acrylic.
In the present world, when artists are relying more on abstract concepts, Ranjit has adopted figurative style to make his paintings pleasing for the layman’s eyes.
One of the acrylic paintings on display, titled “Rhythm and Distortion 1,” depicts three images of a female face in milieu of birds, insects and trees. The best part of the painting is assorted shades of red that dominates the composition of the faces.
In” Harmony 2,” another acrylic painting, the artist has portrayed a man and some women in modern outfits, depicting urban life.
However, regardless of the subjects and the media, one aspect is common in all the paintings – they are equally captivating, boldly demanding the viewers’ attention when they pass them by.
The exhibition, which will run until December 19, is open for all from 11am to 8pm every day.