Artist Lalu Prasad Shaw’s paintings and sculptures often evoke a sense of familiarity for the viewer. Be it the portrait of a middle-aged man in a light yellow kurta and dhoti, cigarette in one hand and a walking cane in the other; or the lady in a Lal-Par Sada sari combing her hair—the 86-year-old captures the essence of Bengali culture seamlessly, which is also what makes his artworks a mirror of the state’s deep-rooted traditions and way of life. A glimpse of Shaw’s work stir up one’s mind, taking them back to that very instance (fictional or real) when they might have encountered something or someone quintessentially Bengali.
Offering Delhiites an opportunity to explore the octogenarian’s practice, Gurugram-based Gallerie Splash is hosting ‘Masterly Manoeuvring’, a solo art exhibition comprising the works of Shaw across mediums; it offers an insight into the painter’s artistic pursuits that span over six decades. The exhibition taking place at Bikaner House, concludes on Sunday.
Decades of experimentation
Shaw ventured into art in his early 20s despite a lot of opposition. “My journey in art began with pain and discouragement, people around me said it will be futile. Nevertheless, I decided to pursue art,” he shares in a seven-minute documentary created by Gallerie Splash. Over the course of his long-standing career, Shaw has worked across mediums—he started with gouache, moved to printmaking at the age of 30, and latershift to Tempera after 18 years.
Elaborating on these changes, curator of the exhibition, Manmeet K Walia, shares, “We travelled to Kolkata for this exhibition [to meet Shaw] and I had a long chat with him. I realised that he had a lot to say, a lot to represent. He loved printmaking… he still loves it. But he had to change his medium because nobody here [in India] bought prints.” The exhibition features Shaw’s works across mediums and will take the visitors through the journey of one of the most important modern Indian painter’s careers.
Idiosyncratic narratives
The artist’s works, as seen in the exhibition and otherwise, are simple. One will witness an innate sense of joy owing to the vibrant use of colours in most of Shaw’s Tempera works. When seen in its entirety, his artworks, usually featuring his plot characters the ‘Babu and the Bibi’, also tell interesting stories. Walia explains, “There is a narrative that follows [in his works at the exhibition]. There is a handsome Bengali man with a flower in his hand and then there is a beautiful Bengali woman, looking at him—you see a sense of connection in his work. They can be as individual as possible but they can tell stories when grouped together.”
Shaw’s inspiration comes from the early Kalighat paintings—a genre of paintings that feature bright hues and bold outlines—as well as the Bengali middle class. His observant eye captures every detail that, as a result, make his works figurative in nature.
Echoing the evolution of Shaw’s work and artistic practice, this exhibition has a nostalgic yet contemporary vibe to it, one that is easy to connect with.
CHECK IT OUT
WHAT: ‘Masterly Manoeuvring’
WHEN: Till July 24; 11am to 6.30pm
WHERE: Bikaner House, near India Gate