Since his first exhibition with Kynkyny in 2005, Basuki Dasgupta’s present collection on display at Kynkyny has progressive nuances.

His childhood in Bishnupur in West Bengal, a town renowned for the terracotta temple architecture, revolved around solitude of the temples, intercepted with exposure to animals and nature. As a student in Shantiniketan in 1987, he explored art forms, realising the integral relationship of art to life.

Teaching art at the Birla Academy he had just one exhibition, and was better known as a song composer, stage actor and playing the mandolin. “In 1997, I found the urge to live away from the influences of the city and moved to Tumkur, teach art to school children.

I found a supportive environment, an enriching experience of the simplicity and ease children express ideas, which opened new doors, had courage to emerge from restricting forms, trying the known and unknown.”

His first lesson on mural paintings were from K G Subramanian. His first exhibits were on board with mixed media, it was Kynkyny owner Namrata, who encouraged him to work on canvas. His former work was more graphic - un-proportionately long arms, scarlet pouting lips of the women he captures in varying moods and poses.

This collection has more depth, structured limbs with texturing and minute detailing. Tiger’s have been his pet subject, and  among the guests, Anjali, Renuka, Dominique, who have his tigers see the expression on the paintings of tigers then, was more aggressive, while these are gentle.

Basuki says, “I don’t paint male figures, for I see more power in the female. To me Durga is not merely mythology. She’s the concept of to-day’s woman, she portrays faith, triumph of good over evil.’  Cat’s, horses, buffalo, fish, alligator pop up in  frames  in various hues.

Artists Vasudev and Shanta Menon thought the surfacing was great and he should approach abstractions instead of recognisable forms.’ Subhra, Mridul Chandran found them exotic. Suresh Jayaram finds folk imagery natured by refined imagery.

Raj Shroff could not resist a composition of brown buffaloes at the edge of a lake, with just the jaws of a white crocodile at the bottom of the canvas.  Nandini Alva, Vasundra Das, Hamsa Moily, and Shree Devi - a design consultant with Ganjam, found the work earthy, with soul. Anita and Harish Bijoor, connected with the stucco effects. 

On exhibit at Kynkyny till September 15.