<div>Many artists, across the world, do landscape portraitures, but works akin to that of Bikash Poddar are hard to find. <br /><div> </div><div>This 58-year-old artist’s watercolours merge into one another, like waves of the sea and hues of the dawn, envisioning a world in the middle of tumult, destruction and yet rising again, literally doomsday on paper, but with the seeds of rebirth.<br /><br /></div><div>Bikash Poddar, born in Bengal but residing in Delhi, is known as one of the foremost landscape artists in India at this time. <br /></div><div><br />What makes his paintings exceptionally fascinating and unique is the use of the Japanese Wash Technique, whereby a special paper is first washed with a light colour and then stronger colours used to create features of landscapes, objects and human figures on them. <br /></div><div><br />Originating from Chinese and Japanese calligraphic art, legendary artists like Gaganendranath Tagore of the Bengal School, are famed to have first adapted it in India; but due to the complexity involved, not too many painters practise it today.<br /><br /></div><div>Bikash, who graduated from the Government College of Art in Kolkata in Applied Art, has taken decades to perfect the technique. He says, “My art is inspired by nature. <br /></div><div> </div><div>These include the sceneries of my hometown - the hilly Kaliyaganj in north Bengal, seas and the countryside. Vast expanses of blue, green and angry red skies i<span>ncite me to draw them out on canvas.” <br /><br /></span></div><div>“It has taken me a while <span>to grasp the technique. When you attempt to apply colour on a wet piece of paper, i</span><span>t spreads out in all directions. <br /><br />You have to patiently master the art of channelising </span><span>them as per your wish and imagination. <br /></span></div><div><span><br />For someone who practises Wash technique, the brush stroke has to be as precise as a sword - clean and impactful. The results come out beautifully as you can see them on the canvas,” he adds.<br /><br /></span></div><div>Bikash Poddar’s tumultuous seas, boats mirroring in river water, trees caught in stormy fury and thatched huts melting into a rural background, bear the stamp of his genius. <br /><br />One does not need to locate the signature to know that it’s a Bikash Poddar.<br /> </div><div>Catch his works at Gallerie Ganesha, GK II, where they are now on exhibition, till May 11.<br /><br /></div></div>
<div>Many artists, across the world, do landscape portraitures, but works akin to that of Bikash Poddar are hard to find. <br /><div> </div><div>This 58-year-old artist’s watercolours merge into one another, like waves of the sea and hues of the dawn, envisioning a world in the middle of tumult, destruction and yet rising again, literally doomsday on paper, but with the seeds of rebirth.<br /><br /></div><div>Bikash Poddar, born in Bengal but residing in Delhi, is known as one of the foremost landscape artists in India at this time. <br /></div><div><br />What makes his paintings exceptionally fascinating and unique is the use of the Japanese Wash Technique, whereby a special paper is first washed with a light colour and then stronger colours used to create features of landscapes, objects and human figures on them. <br /></div><div><br />Originating from Chinese and Japanese calligraphic art, legendary artists like Gaganendranath Tagore of the Bengal School, are famed to have first adapted it in India; but due to the complexity involved, not too many painters practise it today.<br /><br /></div><div>Bikash, who graduated from the Government College of Art in Kolkata in Applied Art, has taken decades to perfect the technique. He says, “My art is inspired by nature. <br /></div><div> </div><div>These include the sceneries of my hometown - the hilly Kaliyaganj in north Bengal, seas and the countryside. Vast expanses of blue, green and angry red skies i<span>ncite me to draw them out on canvas.” <br /><br /></span></div><div>“It has taken me a while <span>to grasp the technique. When you attempt to apply colour on a wet piece of paper, i</span><span>t spreads out in all directions. <br /><br />You have to patiently master the art of channelising </span><span>them as per your wish and imagination. <br /></span></div><div><span><br />For someone who practises Wash technique, the brush stroke has to be as precise as a sword - clean and impactful. The results come out beautifully as you can see them on the canvas,” he adds.<br /><br /></span></div><div>Bikash Poddar’s tumultuous seas, boats mirroring in river water, trees caught in stormy fury and thatched huts melting into a rural background, bear the stamp of his genius. <br /><br />One does not need to locate the signature to know that it’s a Bikash Poddar.<br /> </div><div>Catch his works at Gallerie Ganesha, GK II, where they are now on exhibition, till May 11.<br /><br /></div></div>
