By Sukant Deepak

September 12, 2022 (IANSlife) Gallery Art Exposure will present ‘Lalu Prasad Shaw -Early and Recent Works’, an exhibit featuring early and recent works of the master printmaker and artist in graphics, crayon, and tempera from September 16 to 25.

Often, visual imagery and internal identities in Indian art are influenced by other cultures, especially the West. Lalu Prasad Shaw’s art, right from the early formative years, pursues a distinctly Indian focus.

“We focus on strengthening the ties that bind modern and contemporary art. In this retrospective exhibition that celebrates the art of Lalu Prasad Shaw, we have drawn from his earliest work – from his brilliant printmaking to his contemporary portrayals of people from the city of Kolkata,” says Somak Mitra, Director of Gallery Art Exposure.

Shaw’s oeuvre famously portrays a variety of people occupied in various pursuits, including romantic dalliances, the Babu’s regular forays to the market to buy fish and vegetables or the Bibi, depicted reading or gazing into space, a caged bird by her side.

Through these images, one gets an insight into the artist’s practice as well as his gently satirical approach toward life and its diversity. People can be differentiated by their ethnicity, religion, profession, and class, giving rise to a sense of plurality. Deeply affected by political issues throughout his life, Shaw in his septuagenarian years chooses to reflect on his environment with humor and irreverence. The retrospective pays a tribute to the veteran by showcasing the range of his art that is as contemplative as it is humorous.

"As a printmaker and painter, Lalu Prasad Shaw is remarkable for his contemporaneity and stylistic expression. Gallery Art Exposure brings to the capital a meticulously curated selection of his most outstanding works from the earliest time to the present day offering the viewers an intimate look at the veteran artist’s vast oeuvre." says curator Ina Puri.

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