*Niranjan Kouli’s creations unveiled for public glance*
* Kouli’s creations are on display at Triveni Kala Sangam until Jan 2
* Internationally acclaimed actor Adil Hussain urges parents to promote creative instinct
Delhi Bureau
An exhibition of paintings by Assamese bureaucrat and painter late Niranjan Kouli will be on public display at Triveni Gallery, Triveni Kala Sangam, until Jan 2.
Niranjan Kouli’s artwork combines the real and the symbolic, of familial love, heartfelt concerns for the environment, gender equality, and love for one’s country. One would have liked to witness his oeuvre grow over the years. His loss is not only felt by his family but also by many of the artists at Triveni Kala Sangam’s Art Department. His family remembers him fondly, celebrating his art and upholding the dream he cherished.
“I would urge parents to allow children to pursue careers in any art form in case they find their inclination to for any creative art form,” said Adil Hussain, internationally acclaimed actor, in his speech at the inaugural session of the exhibition on Dec 24.
The art exhibition is aptly titled Canvases of Hope, as Kouli as an artist was an unfailingly optimistic man, and his work conveys a sense of longing for a beguiling, promising world. He brings to his art a sense of realism combined with metaphorical symbolism that engages the viewer with conversations about the country, the environment, urban dwellings, and various interpersonal relationships with those he held dear.
Art sketch
In one of his paintings, Kouli presents a self-portrait, in which he is in a deep discussion with his mother. In contrast, the background wall presents an aerial view of the city with memory drawings of maps, calling to view the fading memory of a lost childhood, all painted in cool blue tones.
Hussain said Kouli’s creations have glimpses of legendary painters such as Spanish artist Salvador Dali with his original artistic touch.
There lies the essence of Kouli’s creations, Hussain said. In another of his paintings, a man lies resigned and exhausted in a khatiya, with his rucksack thrown on the ground while he is approached by a trio of three, graceful peacocks. This painting is a testament to the hint of surrealism in his paintings, where the everyday and mundane blend with the sacred and symbolic. The man on the khatiya belongs to the working class, but being visited by three regal peacocks brings relief to his tiresome day.
Another recent painting is a tribute to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, bending over in his quintessential Gandhian way, where he grasps a handful of salt after his long march to Dandi. Behind him, in the background is the aerial map of India, with thousands of Gandhi’s supporters receding into the landscape. This is a profound painting, which provokes one to not only admire the man that Gandhi was but also take a moment to appreciate the beautiful hues with which Niranjan Kouli has contoured the painting.
“Kouli’s creations should travel in small towns, and cities to spread the idea of appreciating beauty,” the renowned actor said.
Artist’s profile
Loved and admired by his colleagues and fellow artists, Kouli was as passionate about his art as he was about his work as an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer. He had planned an art exhibition at the Triveni Kala Sangam but tragically passed away in 2021 during the pandemic.
Two years later, this is a tribute to him and his artistic oeuvre at the gallery with the efforts of his family. He practised his art at the Triveni Kala Sangam under the guidance of senior artists Rameshwar Broota and Sanjay Roy since 2017. Before that, he had also studied art at Gauhati Artists’ Guild, Guwahati, Assam. He came to Delhi in the mid-80s to study for his Master’s and passed out with a degree in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics.
He briefly taught as a lecturer in Economics at the Diphu Government College, Assam before he joined the prestigious IRS in 1988. His last posting was at Faridabad, Haryana as the Principal Commissioner, Income Tax. In the course of his short artistic career, he participated in several national and international exhibitions including Bombay Art Society’s 129th All India Annual Art Exhibition, 2021.
News Mania Desk
