LIVING

From the aesthetics of art to the politics of paper, Jogen Chowdhury’s practice cuts across boundaries

By Anannya Sarkar
18 November, 2022

A look at how the veteran artist is endeared across generations for his versatility and pioneering techniques

Commonly known as the “master of lines,” prolific artist Jogen Chowdhury is not one to toe the line, though. In fact, Chowdhury’s works often straddle social and political dynamics. Take, for example, his recent mixed-media on paper titled Killer of the Pregnant Woman, where Chowdhury depicts a dhoti-clad man ripping open a pregnant woman’s chest and stomach with a knife. This work is oddly reminiscent of other violent acts perpetrated by men against women, especially in the context of a post-Bilkis Bano India. So, when Chowdhury says: “I always observe the people around me as well as the socio-political situation of our country or elsewhere, being a socially-conscious person,”—you understand the context of his art. 

The act of making art

In conversation with The Established on the sidelines of The Compulsive Act—an exhibition hosted by Kolkata-based Gallery Art Exposure, comprising the octogenarian’s drawings in a rather stream-of-consciousness way —Chowdhury explains what the adjective “compulsive” means to him: “Compulsive lines are those, which are intuitive and charged with a certain transcendental mood, drawn with a feeling of compulsion.” In fact, so intuitive is his practice of art to him that even at the preview of this exhibition, many spotted him sitting and sketching. “He was sitting and sketching away, aptly living up to the show’s title, much to the delight of everyone requesting him to draw for them. He was happy to oblige! Usually, Jogenda likes to work alone, undisturbed. The guests were stunned—one young fan even called him a god,” recounts Somak Mitra, director of Gallery Art Exposure.

Bird, Ink and Pastel on Paper, 18cm x 13cm, 2020 by Jogen Chowdhury. Image: Artist & gallery.

The human face, out of other things, has always been a source of inspiration for Jogen Chowdhury. Image: Artist & gallery.

Chowdhury’s lines vary in form—straight, angular, crooked, and some, even filled in with colour. Over the years, the faces he creates, across mediums, have become his signature. But what inspires him to draw those faces over his six-decade-long practice are the stories behind each of them. “It is true. I have a habit of ‘looking’ at faces, which are the mirrors of the mind and body and try to read and guess the story of those persons—their character, facial expressions, ambition and failure, suffering or joyfulness, cruelty, greed or kindness. I must say that I get many pictorial elements from these experiences,” he says.

A versatile practice

Considered one of India’s greatest living artists, Chowdhury’s versatility of both medium and technique has held him in good stead across generations. Known as the pioneer of the “crosshatch technique” that sees him play with tonalities and volumes, Chowdhury has won critical praise for making a place for both modern and contemporary practices in his art. Moreover, both young and old seem to agree. For lawyer Avishkar Singhvi, 35, the master artist’s works “capture a sentiment of sensual intimacy" combined "with grace and elegance". Meanwhile, for 54-year-old real estate professional Vinay Bhandari, Chowdhury’s works, “from his line drawings to his pastels and paintings, replete with a range of expressions, are so unique that it is hard not to be moved by them.”

“I TRY TO READ AND GUESS THE STORIES OF PEOPLE AROUND ME—THEIR CHARACTER, FACIAL EXPRESSIONS, AMBITION AND FAILURE, SUFFERING OR JOYFULNESS, CRUELTY, GREED OR KINDNESS. I GET MANY PICTORIAL ELEMENTS FROM THESE EXPERIENCES”
Jogen Chowdhury

Chowdhury, of his own admission, is a "humanist", who primarily derives inspiration from the world around him and its realities. Image: Gallery. 

Chowdhury, who previously served as a Rajya Sabha member and is known for his crackling sense of humour, is known for how he would sit quietly in the back row of the Upper House of the Parliament and sketch his fellow parliamentarians. But one would imagine that after receiving countless accolades and widespread acclaim, his best years are behind him. That, however, is far from the truth. While this exhibition offers art lovers a peek into the intuitive aspect of Chowdhury’s art-making, he is also set to show an ambitious retrospective in March 2023 with the same gallery.

But after all these years, what is it that keeps Chowdhury going? “Being a humanist, I am much attached to people around me and their lives and living. As such, it is natural that my works will project such elements. After so many years of working as an artist, I feel deeply attached to them,” he says.