Like every year, CIMA Art Mela 2024 is off to a flying start. On till November 24, the art exhibit aims to ensure that high-quality, original art is financially attainable for a broader audience, making art, as a hobby and a passion, accessible to all.
On the first day of the event, artists and art lovers alike dropped by at Kolkata’s CIMA Gallery at Ashutosh Chowdhury Avenue in Ballygunge to pick and choose their favourite art pieces, from paintings to sculptures. From modern abstract work to three-dimensional paintings, there was something for everyone.
Koyna Majumder, a first-time visitor to Art Mela, saw Ganesh Pyne’s work for the first time and (right) a work by Ganesh Pyne
This was Koyna Majumder’s first time attending CIMA Art Mela, after reading about it in the media. “I am a newbie when it comes to art,” she said, “but my father paints at home.” After browsing through the exhibition, the student of Lady Brabourne College spoke about an artist whom she had long heard about.
“The first time I heard about Ganesh Pyne was from my father, but this is the first time I am seeing his work,” she said. “The painting of the girl with the doll really reminds me of the time when powercuts were common, and we young kids would play ‘Dark Room’ and other games with each other. Kids these days don’t know the thrill behind that anymore.”
Pallavi Jalan (left) and Pooja Jalan were looking for art for their homes and to grow their collections and (right) a work by Bandana Kumari
Pallavi Jalan, a creative designer, and Pooja Jalan, an artist, were out to look for art for their homes and to collect. “We have bought quite a few from the collection this year,” they said. “We picked up works by Bandana Kumari, Yogesh P. Naik and others. We really like the funky vibe and the twist in Bandana Kumari’s works — there is a painting of a Mughal emperor with the face of a lion!”
Artist Jaya Ganguly, whose work is on display at Art Mela, dropped by to look through the exhibition
Artist Jaya Ganguly also dropped by to check out the artwork on display at Art Mela this year. My Kolkata asked Ganguly about her work process, as her canvases are also on display. “There isn’t really an inspiration,” she said. “I have a thought and I just let things flow. My paintings here do not have a message. They are differently constructed bodies; viewers are invited to interpret the work in their own way.”
Artist Manish Moitra, whose work is also on display at Art Mela, derives inspiration from whatever he sees around him
Manish Moitra’s paintings, with their pop of colour, are visible right from the time one enters the gallery. “I paint from whatever I see around me,” said the artist. “A box carton full of biscuits, a construction site, a basket of vegetables… I paint from my vision. I have broken down my painting of the construction site into a grid format — whatever appealed to me from the site was painted individually onto each grid.”
Artist Sandip Ray’s work, a watercolour of the south Mumbai shoreline, is the biggest painting displayed at Art Mela this year
Artist Sandip Ray’s work — a watercolour of the south Mumbai shoreline — is the biggest painting displayed at the gallery this year, and it is priced at Rs 3 lakh. “I was in a car, and I noticed the Haji Ali Dargah,” said Ray. “I immediately asked the driver to stop, and then I sat there doing some basic sketches and water colouring of the view. Later, after talking to my sisters, I painted this big version of it, and now, thanks to CIMA, it is here on display!”
Pratiti Basu Sarkar, chief administrator of CIMA, shared her thoughts on the response to the first day of the Art Mela
What did Pratiti Basu Sarkar, chief administrator of CIMA, feel about the response on the first day? “People’s tastes have changed from last year,” she observed. “They want art with more abstract elements, and they are also taking a lot more time looking at the work. They don’t only want colourful art; they’re also looking at etchings, black-and-white works, and so on. The only thing that does not seem to have changed much is that viewers tend to not be so taken by animal forms in the artwork, unless it is a landscape with domestic animals.”
Moreover, to make the visit to the gallery a comfortable one for visitors, there were two stalls for refreshments set up just below the gallery. One was by the Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy, and the other by Rayzin. Both served up sweet treats and quick munches for art lovers to stock up on post art shopping!
Art Mela 2024 is on till November 24, 11am to 8pm, at CIMA Gallery (43, Ashutosh Chowdhury Avenue, Sunny Towers, 2nd Floor, Kolkata - 700019)