Shyamal Dutta Ray

Shyamal Dutta Ray (1934- 2005) oeuvre is complex, layered and symbolic of meanings that interweave social issues with subtle aesthetics. Born in Bihar, India, Ray received a diploma in painting from the Government College of Art, Calcutta. Also, he was one of the founding fathers of the Society of Contemporary Artists, which was an artist's collective to debate, disrupt and denote the changing cultural discourse of the time.

One of the most accomplished watercolourists, Ray had started off working with oils but later switched to watercolour, creating ethereal scenes. As is the nature of watercolours, Shyamal became a technical master to tame his palette and expressions. However, his technical skill never seemed to override his ability to derive the visual form of emotive tumult.

Reflecting the socio-cultural and routine conundrum, Ray depicted scenes from Calcutta with images of happiness, sorrow, poverty and hope. His work represented his general awareness of social mishaps as well as highlighted the ironic life of the people of Calcutta. Employing history, mythology, and symbolic language to his practice, Ray deftly manoeuvred the sensibility of sarcasm-filled contexts through self-formed visuals. The persistent style in developing layered figuration eventually brought a unique identity to his sensitive approach.

Ray was an award-winning global artist, having his work exhibited in multiple countries including India, Japan and London. Also, he has had multiple exhibitions in Kolkata and New York and taught at the Jagadbandhu Institution in Calcutta for two years. Some of his notable awards include the Rabindra Bharati University Award, National Award from Lalit Kala Akademi and the prestigious Shiromoni Puraskar award. Shyamal Dutta Ray lived and worked in Calcutta, India.