Debovasha’s recent show, Seventh Symphony, fea­tu­r­ing works by Som­nath and Reba Hore, Sanat Kar, Ganesh Haloi, Jogen Chow­dhu­ry, Lalu Prasad Shaw and Ram­ana­n­da Bandopadhyay, did not hold any surprises. Quick movements of brush and ink created the whiplash lines of Somnath Hore’s billowy nudes. Even more interesting than her pastel-on-paper portraits were Reba Hore’s black cat with glowing eyes (picture, left) and the mixed-media crowing rooster drawing himself up to its full height. Sanat Kar is usually recognised by his charming phantoms. However, his indigo, brown and charcoal-coloured etching showed the extent to which he could stretch his imagination.

Ramananda Bandopadhyay’s women whiling away their time have little to do with contemporary realities. Somewhat unusual was the bouquet of blossoms in watercolour. Ganesh Haloi’s contemplations on the mysteries of nature, however beautiful, can get under one’s skin with over-exposure. Lalu Prasad Shaw’s drawings of men and women of yesteryear have been done to death, but here were two great prints, a linocut and an etching (picture, right). Jogen Chowdhury returned with his sirens, cactus flower, man with a mangled face, snaking lines that cover an entire sheet, and wilting flowers. These were all done with pen and ink.