In the latest offering from KYNKYNY Art Gallery, renowned Kolkata-based artist Avijit Dutta invites viewers to journey into the intricate realms of memory, imagination, and the passage of time with his evocative tempera paintings in the exhibition titled “The Revisiting.” Through these moody and atmospheric works, visitors embark on a traverse of fragments from bygone eras imbued with personal histories, culture, and the essence of everyday life.
Opening initially in a location of monumental significance— the historic bungalow of celebrated physicist Sir CV Raman in Malleshwaram— on June 22 and 23, the exhibition has now found its home at KYNKYNY, where it will be on display until July 19. The scientist’s residence, laden with historical weight, adds a profound layer of meaning to Dutta’s works. The artist himself found inspiration during his visit to this venerable site last September.
“Walking on the soil where Sir CV Raman spent so much time felt like a real privilege,” Dutta reminisces from his studio in Kolkata. “The trees and foliage all around lent a kind of peaceful magic. I imagined conversations, voices, the cooing of pigeons, and flowers with exotic butterflies adding colour and richness. It was a surreal moment that evoked many thoughts, most of which I carried back to Kolkata. Over time, these thoughts took shape as my works.”
With an artistic career spanning nearly 25 years, Dutta embodies continual evolution and profound self-exploration. “Art has been a constant journey of change and growth, marked by new insights, understandings, and implementations,” Dutta explains. This ceaseless transformation finds its embodiment in his latest collection, where he reimagines the past not as a static relic but as a dynamic, shape-shifting narrative reconstructed through emotion, metaphor, and imagination.
Central to his creative process is the indelible influence of his mother, whose memory incessantly fuels his artistic drive. “My mother has been a central figure in my life journey and has profoundly influenced my work as an artist. I lost her at a very young age, and I have constantly tried to remember the fleeting, fragile moments spent with her. Her choices, style, and behaviour remain fresh in my mind,” Dutta shares.
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Dutta’s art is also inextricably linked to the lifeblood of Kolkata, a city he describes as a “cauldron of creativity, grandeur, culture, and slow, poignant decay.” The history and unique character of Kolkata seep through his paintings, each piece exuding a sense of nostalgia and elusiveness reminiscent of flipping through a forgotten photo album.
“The concept of ‘The Revisiting’ is about taking art out of its conventional confines and placing it in a new space, giving it a fresh look, light, and freedom,” Dutta explains. This innovative approach allows his work to touch viewers in fresh and transformative ways, as they encounter imagined spaces, fading times, and emotional encounters that transcend the mundane.
Nature, a recurring theme in his works, emerges not just as a backdrop but as a central character in the narrative. Dogs, antelopes, birds, butterflies, and horses populate his crumbling mansions and regal settings, symbolising the passage of time and the complex interplay of human experience. His compositions, rich in imagery and layered with a vintage patina, reflect the multidimensional quality of the mind, blurring the boundaries between past and present, reality, and fantasy.
“Art often begins abstractly and, for many, transforms into something more figurative and form-like. In any artistic journey, memory is a vital currency that fuels imagination and composition,” Dutta reflects. “We live in the present but bring the past alive through memory, art, poetry, music, and writings.”
For Dutta, the creative process holds equal importance to the final piece. “It’s been a hectic couple of months bringing together this collection. I have tried to make it varied and interesting, and I hope my efforts find an appreciative audience.”
Expression, Dutta emphasizes, is the heartbeat of art. “Art needs to have a soul; otherwise, it will be just like any other object.”
“The Revisiting” can be viewed at KYNKYNY Art Gallery until July 19, providing a unique opportunity for art enthusiasts to immerse themselves in contemplative and evocative experiences, forged by memories, time, and the power of imagination.
