Kalighat is a popular painting style that developed in the 19th century in the vicinity of Kali temple in Kolkata. Painters who came to be known as “patuas” did these watercolour paintings or “pats”. According to Ajit Ghose, " The drawing is made with one long sweep of the brush in which not the faintest suspicion of even a momentary indecision, not the slightest tremor, can be detected. Often the line takes in the whole figure in such a way that it defies you to say where the artist's brush first touched the paper or where it finished its work. In the 1930s the art of Kalighat paintings disappeared.
Artist Kalam Patua not only revived this form of paintings but he has also reinvented the style. His work can be seen at Delhi's National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) and London's V&A museum.
The Indian state of Rajasthan has always inspired artists because of a rich tapestry of tradition and culture. It is here that artist Madan Meena gets his inspiration from. A look at his work.
Kathryn Myers- Fullbright scholar and artist interviews contemporary Indian painter and sculptor Jagannath Panda. Jagannath talks about the elements that paint a narrative that intricately weaves the opposites to create a whole. Watch
The seven notes of Carnatic music, teapots, Pichhwai art and Frida Kahlo are some of the things that inspire artist, Bakula Nayak.Her art beautifully explores the canvas between history and the contemporary where people turn into birds. View.
A.I.R. was the first all female cooperative gallery in the United States. It was founded in 1972. The gallery is at Kochi Biennale this year and Kathryn Myers, curator of the AIR exhibition in Kochi tells their story. View.
"You have to get everything right in one stroke, there is no room for error" says, Artist Kalam Patua about Kalighat paintings. A glimpse into the style of painting from Bengal. View.
Christine Pemberton writes about artist Pintu Sikder's amazing sculptures. His exhibition is on in the Triveni gallery in Delhi till 18th January. And, you have to read the photo essay to know about the scale of his humble process. View.