Bimal Das Gupta

BIOGRAPHY

Bimal Das Gupta can be hailed as one of Bengal's leading Abstract painters. Most painters in Bengal itself seem somewhat entangled in the 'Is Modern Art Indian' controversy whereas those artists from Bengal who are settled in Delhi, Bombay, Baroda or elsewhere seem fairly clear about the directions and necessity for their work to be a reflection of contemporary ideas and taste.

Bimal's work has richness and certainity which is a formidable anchor. He has not been painting purely abstract works for long but has come to this statement only after a measure of discipline in other media and idioms. Hence it is that his works have a fine structural sense in their composition. This is a foundation born of wide practise in composition and not the mere simplification of a new dabbler with paint. Today Das Gupta's work bears the marks of a rich and very deep conviction. For him there is no other way.

It is rather difficult to attempt to describe the qualities a of painting in words. Paintings are meant to be seen not grasped by the mind by description and this is especially difficult when one is dealing collectively with an artist's whole output and not with a single individual painting. The collective work represents the artist's potential more completely. He is known indeed by his personal style, which is his signature and a unique contribution to the stream of art.

EDUCATION

  • Diploma in painting from Govt. College of Art and Craft, Calcutta.

  • EXHIBITIONS

  • 1952 China Japan & Australia
  • 1958 Germany and Poland
  • 1960 Afghanistan & the Middle East
  • 1961 Fifth International Exhibition, A.I.F.A.C.S.
  • 1964 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • 1965 South Africa, Biennale de Sao Paulo, Brazil, New Delhi
  • 1970 International Exhibition of Plastic Art, Tokyo
  • 1966 Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
  • 1970 Expo Tokyo
  • 1971 Tokyo, Brazil and Argentina
  • 1972 Palo Alto San Francisco
  • 1979 Damascus, Warsaw, Prague, Budapest and Sofia
  • 1978 Sixth International Exhibition, AIFACS
  • 1979 Frankfurt, W. Germany, Fukuoka Art Museum, Tokyo
  • 1980 Dubai
  • 1980 Miniature Art Format, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, Contemporary Indian Art Section, International Trade Fair.
  • 1986 Exhibition organised by Gallery of Modern Art at Moscow Drawings & Watercolour at Paris
  • 1985-86 Water colour exhibition at AIFACS Numerous Exhibitions in India and Abroad.

  • COLLECTIONS AND COMMISSIONS

  • 1948 Murals for Silver jubilee of National Archives, New Delhi
  • 1949 Murals for Railway Centenary
  • 1951 Murals for Railway Coach for D.A.V.P., New Delhi. Murals for Punjab and U.P. pavilion, World Agriculture Fair, New Delhi. Murals for India pavilion, International Trade Fair, Tokyo
  • 1961 Visited Poland, Germany under cultural exchange programme & toured, Middle East, Paris, London, Athens, and Italy.
  • 1963 Murals for India pavilion International Trade Fair, Moscow.
  • 1973 Mural for I.C.A.R. pavilion Indian Agricultural Fair, New Delhi.
  • Various Art Galleries & Museums in India & Abroad. And in many private collections in India and Abroad.

  • AWARDS

  • 1948 First Prize in water colour A.I.F.A.C.S.
  • 1952 First prize-Mysore Art Exhibition
  • 1954 Gold Medal-Akademi of Fine Arts, Calcutta
  • 1954 First prize in oil Painting Hyderabad Art Exhibition
  • 1956 Din Jukerman's prize, A.I.F.A.C.S.
  • 1956 National Award, Lalit Kala Akademi
  • 1972 Elected eminent painter of the year Sahitya Kala Parishad, Delhi.