পালিক পড়ুন o পড়ান

Profile of an Artist by Barnali Saha

When it comes to art, why does contemporary abstract art have to get all
the glory? A study of artist Dithi Chakrabortty's artwork reveals that it is
steeped in the richness of traditional Bengali culture which makes the
contemporary abstractions seem lightweight in comparison. Dithi
Chakrabortty (née Mukherjee) is a versatile artist currently living in
Geneva, Switzerland with her family. Her unique voice and technique find
perfect expression in her canvas on which she often paints the silhouette
of Bengal. The most important aspect of her art is that it is both personal
and progressive. At the turn of the millennium, as traditional art parleys
with modern artistic airwaves, let us see what Dithi has to say about her
work.
Dithi, tell us a little about yourself.
Dithi: Well, I am a full-time artist, now living in Geneva with my husband.
I was born in Bardhamaan where I spent much of my childhood. I have
studied Nutrition and went to college (masters in Nutrition) in Kolkata.
After college, I married Arnab and moved to Delhi. Soon after, we
relocated to Mumbai for a most wonderful, five “maximum-city” years
before we moved, yet again, to a much quieter but really beautiful
Geneva. I worked as a Nutritionist in Mumbai and am now a full-time,
self-representing artist.
When and how did you get attracted to the world of art?
Dithi: Art was an essential part of my growing up and, in my family, any
creative expression was much encouraged and appreciated by both my
father and mother. My two elder sisters are gifted painters. I remember
watching ‘Boro-mamu’ (our eldest maternal uncle) as he worked on
pencil sketches through the languid holiday afternoons leaving the
sketches behind for us to keep. His techniques were nothing short of a
professional artist at work. There are other similar inspirations in my
family. I would be put to shame any day by the art-work done by some of
my cousins and hanging in their Kolkata homes! Samar-da, and his
bohemian ways of artistic expression (I write of him later), was yet
another source of inspiration. It was not a question of being attracted to
art; it was more about art being part of who I am and where I come from.

Palki 9 @ calcuttans.com/palki – February 14, 2010

 পালিক পড়ুন o পড়ান

Do you have any formal training at any art school?

Dithi: I have not attended art school. In fact, I never planned to go
professional with art! The only art training I received was in a private art-
school in Bardhamaan way back in early school. We had the most
inspiring teacher in ‘Samar-da’, a true artist and an inspiring personality,
who would never restrict our new-found leaps of creativity and
imagination to the codes of perspective, balance, harmony, colour-charts,
but let us enjoy our time with our drawing books and boxes of Camlin
colours. It was a most unusual but magical experience that may be quite
unthinkable in today’s age of performance-oriented steroid-fed training.
In each class, one of the things Samar-da did was take a blank page, draw
free-hand margins around the page and in an impeccable Bengali
handwriting, write down on the top right corner of the page, ‘Mon theke’
which, as you know, in Bengali means ‘From your imagination’. Those
Sunday mornings may not have been so much about studying art but
about loving and enjoying art.
I am self-taught and continue to study and try to learn. Yes, I
believe in the importance of training to develop a sound understanding
of art and to build skills in technique and materials, but I don’t think that
art school is the only answer to that.
What is the medium of your paintings?
Dithi: Acrylic paints. It is a really fun and versatile medium to work with. I
occasionally enjoy working on mixed media and love doing pencil
sketches as well.
Most of your paintings feature a series of traditional Bengali motifs,
what are your thoughts on your subject matter?
Dithi: I am mostly drawn to depicting India on my canvas. And more
recently, the focus has been totally and almost exclusively moving
towards Bengal and all things that are Bengali! I think all of this is really
about a part of me trying to connect with my roots and about me missing
home.
Name a few artists and tell us how their works influenced you and your
style?
Dithi: I love art naïve, bold usage of color, simple themes and the rustic-
warm-earthy feel to a painting. I admire Gauguin and Van Gogh for their
incredible use of color; Klimt for design, composition and detail; Frida for
her honesty and courage in story-telling… to name a few. So far as the
Bengal school is concerned, Ramananda is an all-time favorite; I love
what he said about the inspiration for his palette, “… the green of the
Palki 9 @ calcuttans.com/palki – February 14, 2010
 পালিক পড়ুন o পড়ান

betel leaf, the lime’s white, the catechu’s brown and the red of the juice
of chewed pan that turned my mother’s lips into a pair of pure gems.”
Also, folk artists from different cultures and states of India, irrespective of
the medium, hugely inspire me.
All of your paintings are so vibrant…
Dithi: Yes, I love using strong Indian colors, earthy and warm tones and
patterns in my paintings. I am inspired by the orange of marigolds, the
reds and pinks of hibiscuses, the colors and patterns of traditional Indian
textiles and fabrics; there is art and design interwoven into the Indian
lifestyle so deeply that one can hardly escape being influenced and
inspired by it.
In a world where the artistic landscape is experiencing a tectonic shift
everyday with people producing a myriad of modern artistic styles, how
do you defend your art?
Dithi: The appreciation and support that I get from people who see my
work, people who write to me the most wonderful emails and words of
encouragement, the feedback that I get on my blog, the support and
response to my online shop: that is my defence. Art should be something
that is an expression, rather, extension, of an artist’s personality and
sensibilities, not something that is dictated and controlled or something
that is in constant need of being approved and deemed worthy by some
others.
We know you live in Geneva; does this foreign land motivate the style
of your painting?
Dithi: Leaving India and coming to stay outside, that too in a French-
speaking part of Europe, was anything but easy. Taking up my
paintbrushes and starting to art-journal was a coping mechanism. So, in
all fairness, Geneva is the place where my journey as a professional artist
began. The city with all its poise and tranquility certainly helps create a
certain mood and ambience that makes for a great canvas for making art.
Living here motivates me not in such a direct, obvious way, but in that I
feel the need to go back to India through painting a Bengali lady or a
Maa-Lokkhi (Goddess of Prosperity) with her lokkhi-pencha (the wise
white owl) or even an Indian parakeet. Every painting has a story to tell…
from my childhood or a song or a poetry that inspired me at some point
of time.

Palki 9 @ calcuttans.com/palki – February 14, 2010

 পালিক পড়ুন o পড়ান

How does your family encourage your art quest?

Dithi: I have the most supportive and encouraging family. In fact, it was
my father who insisted that I take up painting again, after I sort of lost
touch over the years between making home and working as a
nutritionist, etc. I have the most amazing partner who stands by me and
my decisions no matter what. Painting can be a rather expensive
proposition in a place like Geneva and things get even worse when you
are limited by language and a restricted understanding of the industry
here. I would have probably given up had it not been for the support of
my family.
What could we expect from your artistic threshold in future.
Dithi: My work has given new meaning to my life, given me a new
identity, brought into my life some really inspiring artists and friends. I
want to continue honing my skills, train myself to be better and certainly
do meaningful work that tells a story, my story.
Let us know how can we get update of your recent works of art.
Dithi: I post my work and updates on my blog; the best way to get
updates each time I post is to follow the blog. I sell my work (mostly
prints and some paintings) through my online shop. Apart from this, I
upload photos on my Flickr page and videos every once in a while on my
YouTube channel (you can subscribe and get updates each time I upload
a new video). Here are the links:
Blog: deezden.blogspot.com
Shop: www.deezden.etsy.com
FlickR: www.flickr.com/photos/deezden

We are happy to feature this interview in Palki, as a fitting tribute to a Bengali artiste
who was born on the day we are releasing the special themed edition of Palki. Below
are a few samples of Dithi’s recent creations. Anyone interested in purchasing prints
or originals may contact her through her online links. On behalf of Palki, we thank
Dithi Chakrabortty for graciously giving us her time, and also thank Barnali Saha for
ideating and conducting the interview.

Palki 9 @ calcuttans.com/palki – February 14, 2010

 পালিক পড়ুন o পড়ান

Maa Annapurna

Maa Lokkhi

Palki 9 @ calcuttans.com/palki – February 14, 2010

 পালিক পড়ুন o পড়ান

Ganesh (sketch)

Durga (sketch)

Palki 9 @ calcuttans.com/palki – February 14, 2010

 পালিক পড়ুন o পড়ান

Batua

Maa-meye

Palki 9 @ calcuttans.com/palki – February 14, 2010