A painting exhibition with a difference

BY Manas Pal

It was a painting exhibition- which was, in many ways different. It was also, perhaps, for the first time in the country where the portraits of the Who’s Who of the state –about 150 in number -were displayed.

G Suman Bhattacharya, an eminent artist of the state embarked on a unique time pass during Covid period and drew the eminent personalities of the state. Now all of them  were put up on wall at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhawan for exhibition, and sale.

There were four parts in the display- one for the politicians, one for higher officials including judges, one for the journalists and one for the people from arts and cultural world.

ICA minister Sushanta Chowdhury along with ICA Director Ratan Biswas, eminent artist Aparesh Pal and Sanghamitra Nandi inaugurated the exhibition.

The amount collected from the sale would be donated to charity works, said the artist. On the first day itself paintings of Rs 39,000 were sold.

“My appeal is simple. I spent six months or more to draw the portraits, now you please collect the portrait and spend some money which will go for the social cause, for philanthropic purpose for the orphans, for the old age home inmates, for the destitutes. It was not business”, said Bhattacharya.

“It is simply amazing. The portraits are so lively and all the nuances of the facial expressions with all their subtleties are drawn in an unbelievable way. This is, indeed, unique ”, said the minister.