Maurizio Boscheri, a wildlife painter of Italian descent, was working a tech job when he discovered his love for art. It is poetic that it was in India that he stumbled upon this skill that he was born with and one that he has honed over the years. The self-taught artist who divides his time between Italy and Sri Lanka, was in Kolkata for a brief period to work on a tiger project. On the invitation of the consul general of Italy in Kolkata, Gianluca Rubagotti, Boscheri worked closely with the students of the Government College of Arts to gift the city a mural in Gariahat. The mural has the Royal Bengal Tiger and the peacock come alive on a wall, created in collaboration with the women’s-only association of 71 Palli Baisakhi Sarbojanin Durgotsab Samity.
Unveiling the mural was Boscheri on April 7 with his curator Mario Liberali, accompanied by members of the association.
Consul general of Italy in Kolkata Gianluca Rubagotti checks out the mural
During his time in Kolkata, Boscheri also worked on individual paintings, one of which is going to be donated to the oldest Rotary Club in the city. He was helped by Daniel Caloui for his tiger project –– a mixed media art project. “The idea is to organise a big exhibition of all the paintings that have come out from his work on the Royal Bengal Tigers. It will not just be an art exhibition but instead an educational and social initiative. During the duration of the exhibition, he will interact with students and art enthusiasts who are keen on exploring the world of art curation,” said Rubagotti on Boscheri not having enough time on this trip to accommodate more.
The artist, however, did conduct a workshop for the students of Sister Nivedita University but the aim is to reach more. The social and environmental messaging is very strong in Boscheri’s works so the consulate of Italy is also looking to involve activists and environmentalists who work actively in the preservation of the royal Bengal tiger.
One of the paintings gifted to the city by the Italian artist
“People are very warm and the city is very lively. The energy around people is incredible and it seems to pulse and course through, from one person to another,” said Boscheri of his visit to Kolkata. It felt like a homecoming for the artist who discovered his passion for art in this very country in 1997. “When I see a sari, it is like seeing one of my paintings,” he added. A collaboration of his paintings on saris is just waiting to happen and the artist too is interested in such a project. His paintings all have a message in them and the only way to reach a broader audience is by exporting his art outside the canvas and taking it to various textiles, garments, leather and more. We can definitely hope to see more of Boscheri in India and his work in the galleries and streets of Kolkata.
Pictures: Rashbehari Das