Human, Humanoid and poetry in Wonderland:
This is my 7th solo show. Here are some photos of the exhibition of paintings
The brochure:
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Paintings by Albert Ashok
address:160A, Bidhan Pally, Kolkata 700084
Mobile 91- 9330858536
albertashok@yahoo.com
Humanoid 5x3 ft acrylic on canvas
A man on a limping horse back by a river bank 5 x 3 ft acrylic on canvas
Sohagi's Bathing ( Bathing woman) I, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 30 inches SOLD
The Blind guitarist 30 x 36 inc acrylic on canvas SOLD
The yellow bird and a cowherd boy 30x36 inches acrylic on canvas
Noted art critic Mrinal Ghosh had a prologue on the occasion of my 7th solo exhibition of recent paintings
Wonderland-Fantasy
Recent Paintings of Albert
Ashok
The title of the exhibition
of the present series of paintings by Albert Ashok, which happens to be his 7th
solo is ‘Human, Humanoid and Poetry in Wonderland’. He has some
preference for the world of grotesque and fantasy, which he calls ‘Wonderland’.
He titled his last exposition as ‘Chaos in Wonderland’. This wonderland
is not far off from his existence, from the environment he lives in, that is
from the contemporary times. But in the process of fantasizing, the known world
and the present time gets transformed. Elements of past and future, elements of
myth and imaginary world creep in. But the aim of the artist is to unmask the
various layers of reality that darkens the present state of existence. Albert
is basically a romantic rebellion. The absurdity of contemporary existence
haunts him. He tries to find a way out, some times in the form of anguish,
often in the form of apparent sobriety and lyrical transcendence. In this
exhibition there are works of both these trends,
Fantasy is an essential mode
of expression in visual arts. Literally or lexically the word means an imagined
state of situation usually pleasant and often to some extent caustic or
sarcastic. In Greek aesthetics the entire field of expression used to be
classified in two streams: mimesis and fantasia. Mimesis reflected the natural.
When the image deviated from the natural, it used to be categorized as
fantasia. In Indian classical aesthetics the term ‘chamatkara’ was devised by
the aesthetician Visvanatha to indicate the essence of fantasy. Abhinabagupta,
another aesthetician assimilated ‘chamatkara’ with ‘rasa’ to give the term
greater validity. However in Indian classicism ‘chamatkara’ was elevated to the
state of the transcendental. But the situation of primitivist and modernist art
is different. In both these trends fantasy is a general and very significant
trend of expression that tends to enter deeper both to mystify and demystify
the reality, to dissect it. Fantasy is often used as a form of rebellion, as
has been done in expressionism, cubism and surrealism.
The forms of Albert Ashok are
based on naturalism. He transforms the voluminous illusionist three dimensional
rendering into a state of comic ridiculous situation to mimic the pseudo-valor
and expanded egoistic ambition of human being, often to find a pleasant
situation to indicate peace and tranquility. The way he transforms the natural
is akin to the ridiculous situation of fantasy. When he tries for tranquility
his expressions reflect some elements of ‘chamatkara’.
Albert Ashok is a self made
man and self taught artist. From a blank situation he has struggled hard to
come to his present position of an established artist. The struggle has given
him an insight to look into and realize the human situation and the state of
affairs through which the contemporary civilization is soaring high with a deep
void within it. To him the entire situation is ridiculous, a sort of wonderland
and pulsating with a possibility of annihilation. His fantasy grows out of this
void.
In the present exhibition we
see his large format canvases painted in acrylic showing various forms of
fantasy, vibrant and tranquil. In the painting titled ‘Humanoid’ he
paints a couple on horse back. Out of the dynamism he extracts a sense of void.
In ‘Happy Moments’ a couple sits on a sofa, the man with a guitar in
hand, the woman with a book. In some of the other works like ‘Sohag’,
where a woman takes a bath in a pond, ‘The Blue Musician’ playing
guitar, ‘Yellow Bird and a Cowherd’, a pleasant pastoral scene, the
artist creates different faces of ‘Wonderland’. The myth is far from existing
reality. ‘Wonderland’ is a tragic void.
MRINAL GHOSH
4 Feb 2016
The Terrible and the lyrical
The Paintings of Albert Ashok
Diversity of form in contemporary painting is extensive, as it contains all the legacies of the past not only of our country but also of the various trends through out the world. An artist builds up his own form through selection and synthesis of various inheritances according to his/her own motivation and world out look. Our modernity started with assimilation of western naturalism during the middle of nineteenth century. The second trend of the modernity grew out of the rebellion against such foreign invasion that prompted the artists towards the search for an indigenous identity out of a nationalist ideology delving deeper into the legacy of our classical and popular past. The forms of neo-Indian school thus generated. All the subsequent developments till modernist and Post- modern have grown out of these two basic structures.
The present duet show of Albert Ashok is based on two basic trends of the initial phase of our modernity, that is western naturalism and indigenous heritage. The trends are naturally diverse. But the variation endows the show with a different charm revealing how the contemporary life contains the stresses growing out of its complexities and at the same time sublimates the same towards an enchantment and divine beauty.
Albert Ashok is a self made man whose artistic faculty has developed out of his struggling interaction with the life. Born in Agartala of Tripura in 1961 has lost his mother at the age of one and half. The struggle started there. When he was eight or nine, he felt he had an indomitable urge for artistic creativity. But finding no way out he fled from his home at the age of seventeen in search of art. He learnt painting through strife with this life.The life was very much real to him. He might have felt that he could express this dissension through realism, and the reality could best be captured through naturalist form. After conquering a good grasp on naturalism, he deviated. Naturalism has its own limitation. But if it can be energized with subsequent trends of distortions and geometrical innovations, It can delve deeper into reality and also super-reality. At a certain stage Albert converted his realism into fantasy to reveal the deeper mystery of life, of love and sexuality. Out of this fantasy and a mystery a different kind of beauty was revealed to him. He could extract beauty out of struggle of life. He endowed his naturalism with cubist geometrical structure. The synthesis revealed the contradiction between the beauty and the horrid and also how the terrible can be resurrcted towards the pleasant. The present series of paintings shown in this exhibition is built out of this philosophy. Where pastoral cows contain the metropolitan violence and complexities, and the ‘bathing woman’ reveal within her lyrical and bucolic charm an intricate strife with this life. He has made a successful admixture of urban and rural ethos.
Mrinal Ghosh
(Art Critic,Ananda Bazar Patrika)
29.05.2015
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from 2012 to 2015, these are some paintings available for sale
. Man and the Nature, Acrylic on Canvas, 24 x 36 inches
Sleeping Boy, Acrylic on canvas, 36 x 24 inches
Two Sisters. Acrylic on canvas, 36 x 24 inches
Horse Rider II. Acrylic on canvas, 24 x 36 inches SOLD
The widow, Acrylic on canvas, 12 x 15 inches
Sleeping woman. . Acrylic on canvas,18 x14 inches SOLD
My earlier works---------------------------------------------
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Albert Ashok (Bidya
Ashok)
Address : 160A, Bidhan Pally,
Jorapark,Kolkata – 84, West Bengal,
India.
Mobile : 9330858536, 9477773288,
9831445765
e-mail:
albertashok@yahoo.com
http://selectedartworks.blogspot.com
/ , http://charcoalforms.blogspot.com
/ Facebook/ Albert Ashok,
Date of Birth : 7th February 1961
Education: Self - taught
Occupation/service (1982 –2011) : At
different advertising agency, press, publishing houses, and as a freelance
artist in film distributor companies, periodicals, art teacher, painter , art
critique, essay writer, translator etc.
Specialisation at : Drawing , painting ,
Cover designing, illustration , comics , cartoon .
Award
and Honour : In 2008, ArtVenture, a philanthropic
world organization in association with ARTICLE 19, based in London and
Singapore launched the ‘Freedom to Create Prize’. This international prize is
for artists who use their talents to promote human rights, including the
freedom of expression, empathy, equality and understanding. Art venture had projected
Albert Ashok as their featured artist in their global electronic mediums. It is
a matter of honour and achievement, because, about 1000 artists from 89 countries
had participated in that competition.
He is alsoo featured in Dusun, an
International eMagazine featuriing the best in Asian region in their 12th
issue.
http://issuu.com/martinabradley/docs/dusun_12pdf
Asian Arts and Culture e-magazine featuring
only the very best in the Asian region.
Awarded and conferred 'Satya Shiva Sundar' , a highest honour by The district
Council of Culture, Kalahandi, and Lalitkala Academy, Odisha, India, in 2010.
47 group shows, 7 solo shows, in different parts of India.
CREDENTIALS from 1999 to 2015 as painter
Solo
Exhibition :
Tripura, Sabrum (A solo oneday
exhibition) 20 nov 2010 in a school hall
from 5th Sept to 9th
Sept 2012 at Chemould Art Gallery
from 5th to 9th
Feb 2013 at Chemould Art Gallery, 12 F, Park street Kolkata
from 15 th sept to 19th sept
2013 at Chemould Art Gallery, 12 F, Park street Kolkata
From 4th to 8th Feb.
2014 at Chemould Art Gallery, 12 F, Park street Kolkata
From 14th to 18th
February 2015 at Chemould Art Gallery, 12 F, Park street Kolkata
From 12th to 16th
February 2016 at Chemould Art Gallery, 12 F, Park street Kolkata
GROUP
EXHIBITION
1. Academy of Fine Arts Calcutta . from 2002 to 2006
2. Chitramoyee State gallery of Fine Arts kavury hills, Hyderabad ,A.P. 10th to 16th April 2007
3. Birla Art And Culture—20 may –25 May 2008 Kolkata, West Bengal.
4. 'MoNSooN ART SHoW 2008' KAMALNAYAN BAJAJ ART GALLERY - 226, Nariman
Point, Mumbai – 400 021
5. Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata- 30 June to 6th July 2011 Creative
org, by Bengal Painters
6. Chemould Art Gallery, Kolkata – 19 July to 23 July 2011 The Passion,
org by Raw Foundation
7. Chemould Art Gallery, Kolkata – 12Oct to 16Oct 2011, Essence of
Expression, org by Raw Foundation
8. Chemould Art Gallery, Kolkata – 17 March to 21 March 2012 Love
Labour and Conception, org by Raw Foundation
9. Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata- 18 july to 24 july 2012 Org by World
Art Society
10. Birla Academy of Art and Culture 11th Sept to 16 sept
2012 org by Sreejan, curated by Debabrata Chakrabarty
11. Miniature101 , org by Colours Land 25th sept to 29th
sept 2012 at Chemould Art Gallery
12. Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata-
Rang O Rup group, 3rd Oct to 9th Oct 2012
13. Chitramoyee State gallery of Fine Arts kavury hills, Hyderabad
,A.P. 23rd to 28th
nov 20121
14. 7th Dec to 13th Dec, Jaipur Rajsthan, Sudarshan Art Gallery,
Jawahar kala Kendra
15. 24th to 30th dec, Saundarya Art Gallery ,
Jaipur Rajsthan,
16. 7th to 11th
March 2013 Chemould Art Gallery, Kolkata –16
17. 28th March to 3rd
April Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, org
by-World Art Society
18. 14th to 19th may 2013 at Birla
Academy,108, Southern Avenue Kolkata-29
19. 28th july to 1st aug 2013, with Prayas,
Chemould art Gallery, Kolkata
20. At G C Laha centenary Art Gallery 24th Feb to 1st
March with joy bhadhury, amra Bandhane..
21. At Gallery Gold by Art Hub, 4th to 12th March
‘ Dreams’
22. 11th march to 15 th March 2014 at Birla Academy of Art
and Culture, ‘The Essence and Euphoria’
23. 17th March to 22nd March 2015 at Birla Academy of Art and Culture, ‘You are
the winds Beneath my wings’
24. 12th may to 19th may 2015 at Academy Of Fine
Arts new south gallery ‘B’ group show, Anukriti
25.
23 june to 29 junes 2015, twoman
show at Academy of Fine Arts The reality, super reality and the myth
26.
. Sept 8th to 13th
2015, group show Puja mood and art fair at Birla Art and Culture
27. from 23rd Nov to 29th
Nov 2015 Autumn Dew, at Rabindra bhavan, Lalit Kala Academy , Delhi
28. From 12 to 16Th Dec Serendipity by Manjula Sing, India Habitat
Centre, Open Palm court Gallery, New Delhi
29. 15th March to 20nd
March 2016 at Birla Academy of Art and
Culture, Brush strokes and Imagination II
PARTICIPATION
:
1) 64 th Annual All India Fine Arts
exhibition 1999 SANJOG at Academy of fine Arts.
2) Annual Art Exhibition, 1999,West
Bengal State Akademy of Dance, Drama, Music,and Visual Arts at Academy of Fine
Arts. Calcutta
3) Annual Exhibition,Rajya Charukala
Parshad , Tathya o Sanskriti vibhag, at Rabindra Sadan, Calcutta.
4) Barshik shilpa kala pradarshani1999,
Pashim Banga Rajya,at Nandan Calcutta
5) 65 th Annual All India Fine Arts
exhibition2000 at Academy of Fine Arts Calcutta.
6) Poetry on Canvas a workshop at NSHM
Academy Campus , on 21st, 22nd March 2003,conducted and arranged by NSHM
Academy.Durgapur,Arrah,Shibtala 713212 WB.
7) 71st Annual All India Fine Arts
exhibition2006 at Academy of fine Arts. Calcutta
Art
Camps :
Hyderabad ( Hyderabad Art society) 18
april to 20th april 2007at Mini Hall, 2nd floor, Rabindra bharati
Dhanbad (A National level Art Camp),
19th to 21 st March 2010,
Odisha (All India Painting exhibition
and workshop),3rd to 9th may 2010,
Deoghar (Kala mela : Art Camp)
Jharkhand, 13th to 15th march 2011 and
many more..
Light Club, Mandaran, Hooghly 14 th
April 2013
The ashok ( Delhi) ITDC & APTDC ART
CAMP from 20 to 24th April 2013
Art Camp on Durgamatha from 1st to 4th
October 2013 at Bhavani Island Resort, Vijayawada, Sponsored by Silparamam-
Participation
PRIVATE
COLLECTIONS :
Toronto (Canada) Herts (London) Delhi,
Hyderabad , Kolkata (Sodepur) ,Mumbai, Assam and Tripura (Sabroom), Ireland.
WORKSHOP
art and literature
1. CREATIVE ART MEET at Mirinia Resort
near Science City Calcutta
2. Soumen Charu Kala Utsab Bali sadharan
Pathagar 383 G T Road Bally, Howrah- 711201 in 2004,to 2010
3. ' Monmartre Artist Camp 'at Calcutta
Book Fair 2003 ,2006, Publishers guild.at Maidan Calcutta
4. Little magazine mela ---2003 to 11
5th year,Pashim Banga Bangla Academy ,11 to 15 Jan 2003,West Bengal State
Government , Eastern Region Cultural Center, and Informention Center.
Excluding numerous participations in
poets confluences in various places held through out West Bengal as poetry
reading with local writer and poets.
books published
There are numerous
poems stories, and articles scattered in little magazines published from
various places which are yet to get a book form, 1) Ravishing Youth 300 my first book of poetry in English , Published by : Spectrum Cal 700009
2)Bhvnai Kamnai Jatnai Bengali book of poetry ,published by: Snehashis Baul ,R .G.Brothers.2 Shaymacharan dey street Cal 73
3)Shatabdir Shesh Surjya 1991 do Published by Do
4)Phire Phire Chai Mukti Ache Kothai (1997) Published by Sahitya barta , nabin pal lane cal 9
5) Baruder kabi Ami Ami Barud 1998 june 08th Published by: Baren Ghose ,Nagar darpane cal 9
6) Bhalabasa ekhon daou daou shikha 2000 Baimela published by: Deb kr. Basu, Biswa jnan, 13, Tamer Lane Calcutta 9
Art BOOKS ARE ENLISTED FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN
1) Ami anki 1
,2,3,4 parts. Published by : Ranjan Publication , 8/1 A Shayama Charan Dey Street
Calcutta 7000732) Dekho Aar Anko 1,2,3,4parts
3)Ranger mela Aankar Khela 1,2,3,4 parts
4)Aanka Shekho Pencile 1,2,3,4 parts
5)Esho Anki Pestele 1,2,3,4 parts
6)Chabi Dekhe Chabi Aankho 1,2,3,4 parts Published by : Basak Book Stores,Megdoot, 4 Shayama Charan Dey Street, Calcutta 700073
7)Rang Bahar 1,2,3,4 parts
8) Alpana 1,2 parts Published by : Pragati Publishers, Tamer Lane, Calcutta
9) Rang O Rekha 1,2,3,4 parts Published by : Deepayan, Keshab Sen Street, Calcutta
10) Super Pastel Scenery published by: Siksha Niketan Sitaram Ghosh Street,Calcutta
11) Super Colour Scenery
12) Aanko ar rang karo Published by :Anubhava 12/6Tamer lane,Calcutta700009
ART BOOKS FOR GENERAL PEOPLE
1)Kane Sajano o
Mehendi Published by : Shiksha
Niketan ---- 50,Sitaram ghosh Street, Calcutta--92) Utsabe alpana
3) Kane sajano Published by :Nirmal book Agency : 89,Mahatma gandhi road, Calcutta700007
4)Alpana
5) mehendi published by: Mahajati prokashan 13,Bankim Chatterjee Street, Calcutta73
6)Kane sajano
7)Alpana Published by; J .N.Chakraborty & co : 13,Bankim chatterjee Street ,Calcutta-700073
8 Alpana
9)mehandi
Landscape And Sceneries
1) Nature
Study Published by :Biswa
Bani Prokashani - 79/1B, Mahatama Gandhi Road, Calcutta2) Pencil Drawing For Young Artist Published by: Skylark : 15Bankim Chatterjee Street Calcutta 73
3) Pencil Drawing For Young Artist Part 2 Published by: Skylark
4)Super Scenery Published by Siksha Niketan Sitaram Ghish Street Calcutta
4)Super Composition 1, 2 Parts
5)Super colour scenery
FOR ADVANCED STUDENTS OF ARTS
1)Drawing
Chabi Tairir Gathan Tantra Published
by Biswabani 79/1B Mahatma Gandhi Road ,
Calcutta7000092)Charukalar Protham Padakshep
3) Nude Study
4) Figure Study
5) Jal Rang Lagabar Kaida o Niyam
6) portrait Study
7) Drawing Course ( prokriti, Pashu,o Pakhi) Published by:J.N.Chakraborty & Co Bankim Chatterjee Street, Calcutta
8) Drawing Course (Jantu Janour)
9) Drawing Course (Manab Deh)
10) Animal Figure Published by :Siksha Niketan - 50,Sitaram Ghosh Street Calcutta-- 9
11)Human Figure
12) Water Colour in Natural Scenery Published by ; Skylark
13) FIGURE DRAWING for advanced student in English Text Published by:Bhuniya Book Distributor. 8 ,Shayama Charan Dey Street ,Calcutta700073
14)Model study for the Artist: published by SBS PUBLICATION 78 M G Road kolkata 70009, Shankar Book Stall, 1, Bankim chatterjee street.
15) CARTOON DRAWING ; PUBLISHED BY SBS PUBLICATION
There are many books that have no records and now out of print, not available in market ,a few I can name as :
Eklabya a book of comics published by Golden Comics ,college st subra mazumdar and baby roy
Tarjan,suku, axa etc published by Ashok roy, from APP keshab sen st
Birds figure, colour composition, flowers and fruits human figure 2, animalfigure 2 , super paintings
Published by Shiksha niketan 2007
Chaos in Wonderland
A solo exhiobition of Paintings by Albert ashok
কিছু কথাঃ
এবারের প্রদর্শনীতে আমার নতুন গোটা ১৫ টি ছবি।
প্রদর্শনীর শিরোনাম ‘আশ্চর্য নগরীতে বিশৃঙ্খলা’। এই পর্যায়ের ছবিগুলি আমার বিশেষ ভাবনার, আঙ্গিকের।
এটা আমার ষষ্ঠতম একক প্রদর্শনী। আগে ‘ইভ, বাটারফ্লাই
এন্ড পাইথন’, শিরোনামে বাস্তব রীতিতে অনেক ছবি এঁকেছি। এবারের
উপস্থাপনায় ছবি ও বক্তব্য কিছুটা দুঃসাহসিক।
বস্তুকে নয়, জীবনকে কবিতা বা শিল্পের মূলাধার করা উচিত। কারণ মানুষের জীবন অনেক জটিল
প্রক্রিয়ায় ঢুকে গেছে বাঁচার জন্য। এই জটিল পথে বাঁচাকে লাগব করার জন্য আজ নতুন
শিল্প সাহিত্য গড়তে হবে। এই গড়া বা কাজটি সম্পাদন করতে গেলে মূল তিনটি উপাদান দিয়ে
ভিত্ বা ফাউন্ডেশন করা প্রয়োজন। এখান থেকেই আমার ছবি ও কবিতার আঙ্গিক, দর্শনের ভাবনা।
থ্রি ডি – মানে তিনমাত্রার ছবি, বা ঘনকবাদের ছবি আপনারা দেখেছেন। থ্রি ডি তে আপনি বস্তু যে অনেকটা স্থান জুড়ে
অবস্থান করে সেটা দেখেছেন। যুগ যুগ ধরে শিল্প ও সাহিত্য কে মানুষের প্রয়োজনে, ব্যবহারিক অর্থে কত কাছে নেওয়া যায় তার আন্দোলন দেখেছেন। দেখেছেন ইম্প্রেশনিজম
, এক্সপ্রেশনিজম, কিউবিজম, ফভিজম, ইত্যাদি
ইত্যাদি থেকে ম্যাজিক রিয়ালিজম অনেক মুভমেন্ট।
কিন্তু আমার মনে হয়েছে এই সময়ের দাবী অনুযায়ী , উপরে
বর্ণিত তিনটি উপাদান যে কোন শিল্প সাহিত্যকে সর্বাঙ্গীন সুন্দর করতে সাহায্য করে।
এবারের ছবিতে তাই এই ভাবনার পরীক্ষা হয়েছে। এবং সবার কাছে গ্রহন যোগ্য ভাবে সুন্দর
হিসাবে চিহ্নিত হয়েছে।
থ্রি ই তে আপনি জীবন জগত দেখবেন। মানে জীবনে স্পন্দন
খুঁজে পাবেন। আগের শিল্পকলায় শিল্পীরা চেষ্টা করেছেন বস্তুকে ফুটিয়ে তোলার জন্য, আমি থ্রি ই তে জীবনকে ধরার চেষ্টা করছি। ছবি ও কবিতা বস্তু বা বিষয়ের মাত্রা
নয়- পুরো জীবনের মাত্রাকে তুলে ধরবে, এটাই ‘থ্রি ই’। যে তিনটে উপাদানে জীবনকে ধরা যায় বা আমি ধরার চেষ্টা করেছি তা হলোঃ
১। পটে যে বিজ্ঞান বা অংক বস্তুজগতকে মেলে ধরতে
সাহায্য করে, বস্তুর আকৃতি ফুটিয়ে তোলে – আমি
এখানে জ্যামিতির রূপকল্প ব্যবহার করেছি।
২। রূপকল্প সৃস্টির সময় কল্পনা বা নান্দনিকতার কথা বা
সুন্দর দিয়ে মুড়ে নেওয়ার ভাবনা। - আমার ছবিতে আমি দেখেছি যেটা সুন্দর নয় তা বাদ
দিয়ে দিয়েছি। শক্তিশালী কল্পনার আশ্রয় নিয়েছি।
৩। আনন্দ বা কোন ভাবনার নিরিখে কোন জীবন দর্শন। মানে
একটা কথা থাকবে দর্শককে বলার জন্য। জীবনে আনন্দ বা ভাবনা আসবে এমন কোন উপাদান।– আমার ছবিতে তেমন কিছু খূঁজে পাবেন।
