The Art of Spiritual Era: Monk Dachan at The Indian Museum, Kolkata

After positive response from across the world including Italy, Germany, Russia, UAE,South Korea, Malaysia and Japan, the works of Chinese Buddhist monk Dachan will be exhibited in Kolkata for the first time. The 46-year-old monk’s calligraphy and ink wash paintings are a part of The Art of Spiritual Era Brightens All Living Things: The art of Dachan World Tour exhibition.

The week-long exhibition commencing from today at the Indian Museum, Kolkata in association with the Basu Foundation for the Arts,  will showcase the Master’s works including colour paintings, lotus ink wash paintings, figure paintings and calligraphy painted over the last ten years complemented by a video to immerse visitors in the world of Buddhism through art. Astrid Narguet, the curator of The Art of Dachan World Tour Exhibition, feels that Indian Museum is the right place to showcase the works of the master, since it also houses an enviable collection of objects pertaining to Buddha’s iconography.

The monk Dachan thinks that art is the best expression of culture, an important and indispensable form of life. Chinese culture and art embedded in China’s ancient history has inspired Dachan in his work and the whole process is by no means a modern and simple understanding of existence.
 

With pre-eminent creativity, Dachan presents the quintessence of traditional ink wash paintings in a contemporary manner, organically integrating the inner spirit of Chinese modern art with a Zen sensibility. His use of ink wash methods rooted in Chinese culture rightfully summarises the changelessness of life and rekindles our understanding of nature and life.
 

“Just like Shitao (1642-1707), another very famous Buddhist monk, who lived a few centuries ago, towards the end of the Ming Dynasty, Dachan, too, leads us into the depths of his spiritual vision through paintings, poetry and calligraphy,” Rajesh Purohit, director, Indian Museum.