By Siddhi Jain
New Delhi, Jan 27 (IANSlife): An exhibition of sculptures by famed sculptor Prodosh Dasgupta (1912-1991), who also had been a former director and curator of the National Gallery of Modern Art, will open here on Thursday.
Curated by Uma Nair, the show titled ‘Translating Modernity' traces a timeline that runs from 1947-1990. Three large and 21 smaller sculptures form the core of this epic suite, including one of his famous works, Surya Mukhi. The show is presented by Akar Prakar art gallery.
Prodosh Das Gupta, Surya Mukhi, 1978
"As the leading sculptor of India who integrated his understanding of Western art along with Indian sculptural traditions, Dasgupta opened the way for the modern era in Indian art. Eager to look outside his immediate surroundings, his experience to the West -- especially in Paris at the Academie de la Grande Chaumiere in Montparnasse -- enabled him to explore other aesthetics," Geraldine Lenain, French art historian said about the artist.
"Like Amrita Sher-Gil, Krishna Reddy and Chintamoni Kar who went through the same art school of high standards in France, he remained free from academic constraints," she added. Lenain is the spouse of French ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain.
The show, connected through his writings and musings on his own bronze sculptures, suggests he took delight in the physicality of the forms he created.
"A sculptor, thinker, poet, Prodosh Dasgupta was always ahead of his time; a visionary who travelled the world, took risks, and was a great teacher too, besides being an administrator.
"Prodosh babu excelled in whatever he touched, and we can see that brilliance in his bronze sculptures, in the perfection that he brought to each and every work of art," Reena and Abhijit Lath, Directors, Akar Prakar said.
Dasgupta's works have been shown at several exhibitions, including NGMA, Victoria Memorial Hall Museum and the Lalit Kala Akademi.
The exhibition runs till February 6 at Triveni Kala Sangam. The works will be later shown at Akar Prakar Contemporary, New Delhi, from February 28 - March 28.