Gallery Silver Scpaes
A set from Baba Bibi
A set from Baba Bibi
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Artist: Shyamal Mukherjee
Medium: Reverse Acrylic on Acrylic Sheet
Size: 48 × 24 inches (121.92 × 60.96 cm) each
Year: 2024
Shyamal Mukherjee’s Baba Bibi Series continues his signature blend of folk aesthetics, humor, and cultural commentary through vibrant, stylized portraits rendered in reverse acrylic on acrylic sheet. These full-body depictions of a man and woman, each distinctly characterized and richly adorned, bring to life ordinary personalities with extraordinary visual flair.
In one panel, the male figure stands as a strong, engaging character, likely drawn from narrative or everyday life. His exaggerated limbs, outsized facial features, and cartoon-like stylization convey both vitality and familiarity. He wears a turban-like head covering and glasses, indicating age or wisdom, possibly placing him in a patriarchal or symbolic role. His garments are composed of striking reds, greens, yellows, and blacks, with geometric patterns and mottled textures that evoke handwoven textiles. Set against a light beige backdrop, the figure is accompanied by decorative motifs and a perched bird, adding layers of symbolic or whimsical meaning. His posture suggests action, perhaps mid-conversation or caught in a gesture, infusing the piece with narrative energy.
In contrast, the female figure embodies a vibrant, expressive presence. Her golden-yellow skin tone and ornate red sari-like dress, intricately patterned in black, are visually striking. A light turquoise pouch or bag adds a cool contrast, harmonizing with the warmer hues of her attire. She wears layered jewelry, with multiple pendants adorning her neck, and has large, defined eyes framed by stylized glasses. A small purple flower in her hand hints at grace or femininity, while two vivid green birds, one perched near her shoulder and the other near her feet, contribute to the painting's visual rhythm and symbolic layering. The background is an abstract blend of yellow, beige, and soft greens, echoing the colors of the figure’s accessories and grounding the image in a dreamlike domestic or pastoral space.
Executed in reverse painting technique, Mukherjee’s works exhibit a luminous surface and clean lines, allowing for precision in detail and color. The Baba Bibi Series as a whole celebrates the quirks, styles, and identities of its subjects, real or imagined, through a lens of folk charm and contemporary storytelling. These portraits are not only visual statements but also cultural artifacts, encapsulating personality, tradition, and playfulness with exceptional craftsmanship.
Why Choose Us
Art has always, naturally, reflected the development and exploration of different thoughts and perceptions, and our current postmodern era is no different. It is interesting to see how art has evolved visually, yet the traditional methods of composing art remain a valid means of expression.
All it takes for an artist to rise above normalcy, is inspiration, which fuels his passion to paint beautiful creations throughout his life.
The valuable expression of art is always there with us, but now this expression is yet to take an interesting diversion with our art gallery, Gallery Silver Scapes, located in Hauz Khas Enclave. Art is no longer considered just decorative but has evolved and come forth as a major form of investment yielding high rates of returns for its buyers, making it an expression commonly used.
Mrs Mayor was walked into the art world by the legendary modernist Bimal Das Gupta, one of whose biggest collections remains with Gallery Silver Scapes. In the 1980s, as head and first curator of the Habiart Gallery founded by Mrs Rekha Modi — a childhood friend — Mrs Mayor worked closely with and curated shows for renowned artists such as A Ramachandran, GR Santosh, Rameshwar Broota, Sakti Burman, MK Bardhan, Dhiraj Chaudhury, M Sivanesan, and Arup Das among others.
Besides modern masters, she also worked with young contemporaries such as Sudip Roy, Paresh Maity, Subroto Kundu, Vinod Sharma, and many more. Artworks commissioned by her are now part of prestigious collections, such as those of the India Habitat Centre, Ranbaxy, Pepsi, Hotel Lalit, Bank of America, and many more private and public collections.