Categories: Preview

Inking the blots of a pandemic

Published by
Proma Chakraborty

Showcasing a series of ink paintings done by artist Jatin Das during the lockdown in the wake of a mass migration of labourers across Indian cities, Exodus 2020 is a look back at how the pandemic changed the world in many ways

Das looks at the fragility of human existence in these challenging times. Captured in Ink on paper, in his signature style, the artist sensitively looks at the struggle, the poverty and the experience of migrant workers in urban India. 

“Like everyone else, I was stuck at home for more than six months. I barely stepped out. What I missed the most was going to my studio, where I work from morning to late evening. Instead, I spent most of my time cooking and cleaning. But I was restless at home. I had two hundred odd acid-free paper, some ink pots and lots of brushes. So I began painting. What appeared in the newspapers and television, and what I had observed over the years, all spontaneously came pouring out. And that is how the series was born, which I have named Exodus 2020,” says Das. 

The inspiration for his work has always come from the working class. Those who make roads, lay bricks, paint high rise buildings. Hundreds and thousands of them had to walk bare feet, some on cycles, and others atop buses, without fearing the scorching sun, without food and water. They went with their little belongings, tucked under their arms, or on their heads. His works capture their plight. 

The paintings depict men and women carrying their children on their shoulders, in baskets, in their tired arms, quietly walking, through days and nights, non-stop. Normally, Das paints figures, who are bare-bodied, beyond any specific context of time and place. He doesn’t have any other elements of clothing, architecture, foliage or animals, or anything that would localise it. But this is a special series, a response to these troubled times. 

“The year 2020 and the ongoing pandemic completely changed the world. Through this series, we gain an insight into the struggles of people who form a very important part of our society. We are exhibiting a selection of 50 works from the series in our show. Personally, the way the artist has responded to the exodus of 2020 has moved me. I wanted to bring this series to the forefront and share this archive of paintings that documents the whole urban migrant labour experience,” Sunaina Anand, Director, Art Alive Gallery.

The exhibition is on display at Art Alive Gallery till March 15

 

For more stories that cover the ongoings of Delhi NCR, follow us on:
Proma Chakraborty

Published by
Proma Chakraborty

Recent Posts

Delhi to host all India K-pop contest 2024 grand finale tomorrow

The finalists will compete in two categories—dance and vocals—vying for the title and an opportunity…

November 22, 2024

Delhi: Winter of misery for the homeless in the national capital

With the abrupt fall in temperatures, the destitute are left exposed to the chill without…

November 22, 2024

Maitri Bus Service bridges Delhi-Kathmandu, carrying 17,603 passengers in one year

Among the passengers, 4,782 were Indian citizens, 12,471 were Nepalese nationals and 350 came from…

November 22, 2024

Delhi air pollution: SC to consider on Nov 25 if GRAP-4 curbs can be relaxed

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih expressed displeasure over the…

November 22, 2024

Delhi’s rooftop cafés struggle as air pollution clouds winter charm

With smog choking the capital, iconic open-air spots face dwindling footfall and rising customer concerns

November 22, 2024

Exhibition: The Art of Quilting

The exhibition highlights quilting’s transformation from functional bed coverings to a contemporary art form

November 22, 2024