Kingshuk Das' meditation of violence within us, around us
Kingshuk Das Chowdhury’s ‘Violence/Violation’ presents a compelling narrative on societal and self-inflicted violence. His artworks will be on display at Dwip Gallery till 12 May
In the quaint space of Dwip gallery, 79 paintings adorn the walls, starting from the entryway. Unlike traditional galleries, the space beneath the paintings are blank, void of descriptions or titles.
It makes you take a step back in confusion. It is only then that you start seeing the collection of paintings together and realise that a single story is unfolding before your eyes.
'Violence/Violation' by artist Kingshuk Das Chowdhury is a commentary on the violence we face from society, and even the violence we inflict upon ourselves. The exhibition has been curated by Mustafa Zaman.
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Each wall acts as a break from the next series of paintings, almost giving you the feeling that you are moving on to a different chapter in a novel. The paintings have been separated based on their mediums and colour themes.
The paintings were kept unnamed intentionally. According to the artist, the paintings all fall under the name of the exhibition.
"The whole thing comes together to tell one story, similar to when we read novels. There are many stories and events within it, but it falls under the name of the novel," said Kingshuk.
The artist's roots have always been in the arts, which led him towards his degree, Masters in Fine Arts in Printmaking, from University of Chittagong. Along the way, his career pivoted and he worked in a bank for 14 years until he realised that his work did not align with his personal ethics.
After leaving the job, he found his way back to the arts. Violence/Violation is his first solo exhibition since 2012.
Kingshuk's talent is evident once you begin exploring the mixed media, where you see how he transferred words from printed pages to some of his paintings, to act as a background.
Most paintings, if not all, use colour in an abstract way, with the subjects nestled among the hues. The mediums you will find are acrylic, watercolour, print, and fumage.
Even though the layout is organised around colours and monochromes, once you get closer to the images, you begin to see the repeating subjects — anatomy, the female body, and bits of gore. While it does go hand in hand with the theme of the exhibition, the images still induce anxiety with morbid thoughts, which is part of the experience.
Kingshuk explains his motivation behind his exhibition, "violence has been a constant presence throughout history, emerging alongside civilisation."
He adds, "My artistic journey has always been deeply connected to life experiences. For instance, observing someone with depression can reveal a sort of internal violence. This inner turmoil may arise from various factors, including societal and governmental influences. My aim is to explore these emotions through my artwork."
Kingshuk's art teeters on autobiographical, as it shows glimpses of his own emotions and experiences. Yet, parallel to the narration of his own experience, Kingshuk's stance on how the modern world has failed us, giving rise to internal violence in individuals, is also prevalent.
Kingshuk focuses on the impact of majoritarian identity politics, which he believes narrows the inclusivity and democracy of social spaces. He reflects on the continuous and evolving social catastrophes through his work.
His art appears to be a manifestation of his physical and emotional response to the increasing sectarian violence, religious intolerance, and political chaos that have become commonplace.
Among his pieces, his untitled piece that is referred to as Violence/Violation 11 is one of the most powerful ones. While the rest of his paintings depict abstract images with body parts and silhouettes of human figures, the ear etched on the paper is very detailed. It is reminiscent of the vivid details humans recall trauma with, and how minute details, like the shading of the subject's ear, stand out.
The exhibition held at Dwip Gallery is open to all from 4 PM to 9 PM till 12 May
TBS Picks (artist)
Violence/Violation 93
Medium: Mixed media on paper
A political piece focusing on Hinduism, the piece provokes thoughts around the issues of religious violence that we see around us.
Violence/Violation 109
Medium: Mixed media on paper
I collect papers from various places. Sometimes when paper is discarded, but still looks good to me, I will use it. In some cases, the textures you achieve cannot be achieved with fresh paper.
Violence/Violation 11
Medium: Mixed media on paper
When an actor's father-in-law committed suicide by using a gun to his head, the incident affected me a lot. I thought: Why did this happen? This is one kind of violence. In society, people need each other but the reality is different. It made me think, one day I could be a victim of such violence.
Violence/Violation 5
Medium: Mixed media on paper
When someone is taught something, they accept that knowledge. However, censorship comes in the way and obstructs our inner thoughts. The scissors in the painting represent this censorship.
