Jagannath Paul
Geometric figures on man and woman expressing the different subtleties of their shared relationship create a stunning piece of artwork by Jagannath Paul. He was born in West Bengal and completed his graduation from Government College of Art and Crafts, Kolkata.
Jagannath Paul is deeply influenced by the Cubist art form of the post modern era. The artist creates solid blocks of vibrant colors; red, blue, yellow, and orange to create his subjects. What looks like an abstract mosaic pattern, on a closer look reveals to be carefully drawn images of men and women. Well known for his charcoal works on paper and canvas, Jagannath darkens the lines around the images with his charcoal and adds depths and shadows to them. Similar to how even a little hint of khol can add to the beauty of a woman’s eyes, these dark lines, add drama to his paintings and elevate the beauty of his subjects.
Unlike other artists, who prefer curvy, realistic lines to draw their subjects, Jagannath paints them with straight lines. Their noses are long, lips are plump and eyes closed. The closed eyes in these paintings might be representing numerous things; deeply engaged in thoughts, lost in a dream, enjoying the pleasures of the physical world, or even self-reflection.
Though he creates an abstract setting for his semi-abstract subjects, a fine line subtly demarcates the two. The geometric shapes in the background are often smaller and more precise than those in the subject, which instead of creating a distraction, follow their natural shape, and compliment them. The shadows created by the charcoal, help the artist to blur the lines between the subject and the setting.
Over the years, Jagannath Paul has won numerous reputable awards including Hindustan Pencil Ltd. Award by Bombay Art Society, Mumbai, Camlin Awards, Mumbai, Gopen Roy Award from Indian Society of Oriental Arts.
