Art Exhibition by Koeli Mukherjee Ghose at Poecile Art Gallery, Hyderabad

Koeli Mukherjee Ghose's art combines the essence of Bengali tradition and culture with influences of modern masters like Matisse or Picasso in the fluidity of her lines, not to mention contemporary artists like Jogen Chowdhury or Ramananda Bandyopadhyay. But what is more interesting in the recent drawings is that the traditional subjects are redefined delightfully on the one hand, using a combination of indigenous materials (khaager kalam ' bamboo quill) while conveying a profound perspective arguably feminist which pervades the formal distortions on the other, -- indeed, the tragedy related to the distortions of a woman's body, no, her soul itself as she finds herself over and over again, the Every Indian Woman, so to speak, entrapped within four walls of limited domestic and sometimes ceremonial "presentational" space. Subject to incessant gaze, and infinitely repetitive interpretations, its as if her inner self somehow assumes such forms consisting of eddies of meaning through the artist's abstractions, conveying a stillness and inquietude at the same time that is deafening even in the celebratory ambience.
Shubhojoy Mitre Artist & Writer

Testimonials/Bytes
Koeli's series of the Visvarupa is an expression of her realization that life is a combination of internal and external forces working on the multifaceted self that she accepts and celebrates.

While evolving and molding the self amidst cosmic and day to day forces, as an artist she sees some kind of design to it all. In These works elements of different forces show up as forms and designs and Koeli tries to make sense of all these, as an integrative purpose in harmonizing relationships, in trying to find the design in life.

The form; significant, contorted, organic and at times of animals, are all symbolic elements of the self, these are not preconceived but archetypal, emerging from layers of consciousness. The self is expressed as the multitude of elements, on the way of finding beauty and happiness in life.

Personality at various levels of consciousness is complex and multifaceted. The celebratory approach to embellish is to heighten its significance, reminiscent of Alpana, decorations as in temple panels, framing the image, making it something to be viewed and conveying that this is a moment to remember and with this somehow balancing the sense of immediacy in the works.
Decoration here is paying tribute to the self and the forces akin to the ritualistic influence of Alpena; as in welcoming lending a texture and a frieze. The design communicates the rhythm and motion and the decoration lends a static element. The designs bestow a feeling of grandeur as in the temple friezes, that this is a significant message. The colours are distinct and away from each other, strong colours with specific entity. merges only at the edges.
Anand Ghose, 2013
Artist & Film Maker

In Koeli's work, experiences are developed into motifs as an esoteric, inner abstract struggle is expressed with a design quality. The forms are ethereal in character. A dialogue between the artist and the surface is revealed through a process of creativity and consequently images appear on the surface as an intricate lacework of ideas, impressions, emotions and convictions.
One enjoys the delightful play of black, white and gray areas in Koeli's quill drawings. The uses of profound black on white and soft spread of water colour in turn accentuate the motif. The black areas are empowered with the quality of dimension and plays of textures create the gray. The entire act of harmonizing has been envisaged by freezing the experience into two-dimensional crystalline forms as things and creatures are transformed into motifs, although the forms blend into each other they still remain distinctive. One also feels the energy and force within the forms. The archetypal forms are allegorical and are used as a signifier of a presence, whereas the female form is the quintessential self. The sensibility here comprehends an idea of the physical sense. A strong adherence to the eastern sensibility is reflected in the undercurrent of sensuality, expressed as a spiritual elation. The artist here is not concerned by feministic ideologies but is preoccupied by the depiction of the artist's feminine self in relation to the abstract, cerebral environment within which she copes to balance conflicting turbulent forces
Anand Ghose, 2007
Artist & Film Maker

Press Note
About Visvarupa
The seeds of what is now Visvarupa can be traced back to the artist's earlier pieces. At first glance the pieces seem arcane; the plurality of the thoughts involved seems hard to delve into. But keep looking at the paintings a little bit longer and you'll immediately notice how the elements on the canvas come together in their struggle and their composure. The immediate observation is that of what could be called the protagonist of these paintings, an allegorical presence - essentially female. What ensues is a struggle between the sensual and the practical, between the calm and quiet of everyday and the noise of creativity, the passionate need to break out of the twists and turns of the ordinary into a realm where the head and the heart are in the same place. Adding to this are the bold strokes of the bamboo quill used by the artist, the bold blacks of confidence that move across the page with an eccentric certainty, giving a new meaning to the empty spaces, almost demanding reconsideration. The hints of color add to the occasional spiritual elation that one perceives to be a subtle but sure undercurrent in all the pieces. To think that these works are a commentary on feminism or are questioning ideologies similar to that would be grossly limiting the nature and the potential of these pieces. One could study the persona in the paintings to be the artist's own self and a reflection of her interiority. That however, should not be the only way to look at Koeli's pieces. The energy within the forms transcend to the universal.

Though the paintings are essentially two-dimensional, one cannot help but look at them from various angles. The demand that is made of the gaze of the viewer does the artist credit.

About the Artist
Koeli Mukherjee Ghose was born in Kolkata in 1967. Her interest in the fine arts took her to Visva Bharati, Shantiniketan from where she graduated with a specialization in painting in 1991. Thereafter, she went onto working with the Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy for about six years, conducting creative session with children and adults with special needs. In 2003 she received her MVA in History of Art from the Faculty of Visual Arts, Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata where she was also awarded the Gold medal in History of Art (Nalin Baran Puroshkar).

Since then it has been a curator's.life for Koeli. She was appointed the curator of the State Gallery of Fine Arts, Hyderabad by the Department of Culture and Tourism of Andhra Pradesh from 2004 to 2006. The next three years were spent curating for the Kalahita Art Foundation, Hyderabad. This is where she also began working actively as an art historian.

Koeli had the opportunity to teach at the College of Fine Arts, NIHTM, Wigan and Leigh College and Birla Institute of Liberal Arts and Management Science, lecturing on various subjects including cross-cultural communication and the history of fashion.
Koeli's current pride and passion is the ImageKraft Studio, which she set up in 2009 for the express purpose of facilitating exhibitions, documentation and research on Indian Art. Apart from passionately pursuing this, she also dedicates her time towards curating, articulating and documenting for Poosapati Parameshwar Raju - his exhibitions and his collaborative projects with various weavers and master artisans.

Having spent a few years as a member of the General Council at the prestigious Lalit Kala Akademi, and in continuing to do so, Koeli's 'education' and understanding of her field seems astoundingly rounded She however, believes in the forever-ness of learning and takes her many achievements in her stride rather humbly.
Prema Crtitta Writer & Editor