1234 Kolkata: Over 100 never-seen-before art works by painter and pedagogue Shanu Lahiri are on display at an ongoing exhibition titled ‘Anonymous?'in the city.
Besides practising public art and writing for more than six decades, Lahiri — who passed away in 2013 — had formed a women artists' collective called ‘The Group' with Karuna Saha, Santosh Rohatgi, and Shyamasree Basu.
Amongst the 106 exhibits being showcased at Galerie 88 till May 15, merely four have been previously shown in the city. Damayanti Lahiri, the painter's daughter, doesn't mind when told that the endeavour of finding these works is almost akin to discovering a new facet about her mother that is largely unknown. Just ten days ago, whilst clearing the attic of the artist's studio in Lake Town, the research workers at the Shanu Lahiri Archives stumbled upon two oversized jatra posters. Those posters are not part of the exhibition, but two other posters on display are equally interesting."We also found two works,presumably on the Metro. These reveal an unseen playful side to her ," Damayanti Lahiri, her daughter said."Ma would paint on anything, including matchboxes, calendars, newsprints, and even pizza boxes!" Damayanti recalled.
Her works on calendars and newsprints have survived. "MF Husain once told me light-heartedly that I am akin to a street performer and can paint anywhere. Shanu di embodied the same energy," Supriya Banerjee of Galerie 88 said. Curator Nobina Gupta, said Lahiri's sketch on Rashbehari Avenue — on display — shows how the area was once alive with eminent personalities, who shaped the city's rich tapestry of Kolkata.
Her sketch of Rashbehari Avenue was part of the Buddhadev Bose Centenary Lecture that she delivered at Jadavpur University. "It (the sketch) is a remarkable reflective mind map, juxtaposed with the spine of a fish. The trams, once the heart of public transport, captivated the artist, inspiring her to reflect on them through her art and writings," said Gupta.