Thomas Merton once said “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time”. Indeed to create a masterpiece or any piece of art, takes a lot of patience and determination. Dyutiman Bhattacharya, DC HQ Howrah, an IPS officer, is highly ambidextrous as he has to balance files and responsibilities on one hand and paintings and exhibitions on the other – both of which are equally demanding, but his passion and love for make it possible for him to balance both with considerable élan.
“Being a self taught painter, I always had a love for art and paintings. I still remember the banjaras who used to paint idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Kali on railway platforms. People would gaze at them, but those paintings mesmerized me and that is where my love for art began and it has come a long way now,” says Mr Dyutiman.
Popular art gaining public grounds
Pop art derived its name from popular art and its characteristic dates back to World War II. Pop Art merges popular and mass culture with fine art while injecting humour, irony, recognizable imagery and content into the composition. Last year Dyutiman held a solo exhibition of Pop Art Paintings, aptly titled ‘Nouveau Realisme’ which ran in the gallery for more than a month. The response has been amazing. This year he had interpreted Game of Thrones characters and scenes and the response has been good so far.
“It is interesting to see so many people coming to see the art forms. Also since I am fond of dogs, dogs have been a centre of focus in my paintings. I feel that craze for popular art will always be there. We now see how during Durga Puja and other occasions, many art installations are set up. Lately, we also see street art festivals becoming popular in a big way. This clearly shows that art is no longer limited to galleries but it has been brought closer to the masses, so that they develop an interest in it. Today, many cafes, including Artsy and Pride, have started installing hanging art and paintings inside where people can look and discuss art while sipping on a cup of tea or coffee. This is how art is now being democratized”.
Being an IPS officer and to be in charge of demanding duties and responsibilities can be a real challenge for people in his position but according to Dyutiman, people need recreation and a pastime, as otherwise the work pressure and stress can take a toll on mental health.
“This is one reason why I chose painting and frequently do exhibitions as a good way to release the steam and stress. When I get time, I make collages from newspaper cuttings and paint them. This not only keeps me engaged but helps me relax after a day’s hard work, as well,” signs off Mr Dyutiman.
