Art aficionados of the country are well-acquainted with the signature style of seasoned artist Samarjit Roy Choudhury. In his more-than-fifty-years of kaleidoscopic journey in art, Samarjit has created a style of his own that sets him apart from his contemporaries. A graphic design graduate and professor at Faculty of Fine Arts of DU, Samarjit’s passion lies mainly in painting. Rural and traditional motifs are abundantly present in other artists’ works, but Samrjit’s treatment of the themes and motifs are recognisably different.
Samarjit’s teacher-master artist Quamrul Hassan was an inspiration for him to pursue working on folk motifs. Samarjit tries to make his paintings, almost always, nearly abstract. His works also show an impressionist’s techniques.
The paintings on display at the ongoing solo of the artist at Bengal Shilpalaya, which began on September 6, are no exception. Titled Montage, Samarjit has juxtaposed images, themes, elements and memories in bright and dazzling colours on canvases.
Most of the 71 paintings on display are done in acrylic, while a few are in oil. There are a few woodcut prints too.
Geometrical forms, shapes, thick and thin lines are artistically exploited to bring special effects in the paintings. Elements like birds, kites, buntings, human figures and flora are placed within forms, shapes and lines.
One may wonder that some of the paintings look, from a distance, like over-coloured pastel works done by children at will and whims. But it nevertheless is Samarjit’s intention to make some of his canvases appear simple and suggestive.
Painting like a child is after all a great and difficult thing to learn for an aged artist. Simplicity is after all, not an easy thing to achieve.
The exhibition will remain open for all from 12pm to 8pm till September 22.
-With New Age input
