Sibaprasad Karchaudhuri’s exhibition at Emami Art, The River in the Sky, is not only a canvas filled with the vibrancy of pastels but also a view of scenic abstractism. This exhibition, which marks the artist’s second solo, features his early works from the 1980s and some of his recent ones, which explore the depth between abstractism and lived experiences.
When one talks about abstract art today, inevitably, one of the notable names that comes first to the mind is that of Karchaudhuri. Unlike many of his contemporaries, who, after academically orienting themselves with art, took a detour to other forms, finally arriving at abstract art, Karchaudhuri was determined from the very beginning to choose this genre as his canvas of work.
The River in the Sky stands out in the themes because it pours in the artist's own encounters with people, places, memories, and experiences of cultures, and represents them through his unique style of abstract art. While looking at his canvases one would find colours like peach and brown to be the most prominent ones, however inspired by the local rural tribal culture of Bhagalpur, some of his series turn vibrant with more colours. His grammar of art also rests in minimalism, with slight shapes depicting characters or figures.
What is even interesting is looking at the titular canvas - The River in The Sky, which has neither the sky nor the river. Those who would stand in front of it for minutes trying to literally identify the words would not be able to do so. The title in this case is more strategic than literal in meaning. It stands as a metaphor to the fact that just as rivers cannot be in the sky, similarly, Karchaudhuri’s works fuse the impossible within the possibly lived experiences and are being depicted through his style of art.
What: The River in the Sky: A Solo Exhibition by Sibaprasad Karchaudhuri
Where: Emami Art Kolkata, Anandapur
When: till October 18, 2025
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