A two-storeyed building tastefully done up with fairy lights catches your eyes in Jhargram town of West Bengal. The facade of the house reveals the name: ‘Shyamali - Homestay and Subir Biswas’ Swapno Udaan (flight of fantasy)’. A climb up a flight of stairs takes you to the studio of Subir Biswas, where every inch is occupied by pieces of exquisite slate art
Photographs by Amit Datta
Starting off by grazing cattle for a fee, Subir Biswas grew up wandering in the local forests of Jhargram (then West Midnapore district). Rocks, tree trunks and roots always fascinated the little boy. ‘One day, I came across a carpenter sharpening his chisel on a piece of slate. I tried to emulate him and gradually discovered that engraving on slate resulted in a wondrous art form,’ the self-taught artist shared with My Kolkata
Over the years, Subir became adept at the art, winning widespread fame and recognition. A documentary film on the artist and his unique art followed. When the documentary makers approached Subir, he just had one question for them — what were they spending so much on the film. They replied that Subir was the only slate artist they had come across in the world. It was a surprise for the artist! The humble man admits that he lacks any sort of formal training in art and was merely a Class X passout
Speaking of his struggles, his eyes light up: ‘In May 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi came visiting Jhargram, when the onus of creating a memento on slate came upon me. So I made the PM’s portrait on slate, which was much appreciated. He went back to New Delhi and sent me a plaque and a letter in appreciation. Modi wants me to pitch in with my art for an international museum proposed to be built on the centenary of India’s Independence in 2047’
Subir says: ‘In 2023, the US Consulate in Kolkata had invited me to its Ho Chi Minh Sarani address to take part in an art exhibition. Several of my artworks were sold there. The consul-general had highly praised my art and said that she had never seen slate art anywhere in the world’. His works have found the way to chief minister Mamata Banerjee too. Minister for self-help group & self-employment and minister of state for forests and consumer affairs too has visited my studio besides poet Subho Dasgupta, sculptor Biman Kundu, artists Pradip Maitra and Kalyan Sen Barat
Subir sources the slates from Old Chinabazar Street in Kolkata’s Burrabazar. ‘I am often summoned by various organisations, with the Ramakrishna Mission Belur being one of the most prominent. RKM has got many artworks on Swami Vivekananda done by me before Covid. People’s love and recognition encourages me to go on and on,’ signs off Subir
