Kolkata artist Shipra Bhattacharya presents a sweeping five‑decade body of work at the Lalit Kala Akademi, Chennai. From desire and the female form to protest, war and ecological anxiety, she translates the inexpressible into striking visual narratives.
- Comprehensive showcase of works from 1979‑2026
- Persistent themes of desire, conflict, and environmental concern
- Expansion from painting to sculpture and mixed media
Exhibition Overview
The retrospective at Chennai’s Lalit Kala Akademi spans Shipra Bhattacharya’s artistic evolution from her student years in the late 1970s to the present day. Over 50 years of paintings, bronzes, fiberglass sculptures and acrylics confront social, political and personal narratives on a single canvas.
Early Years and Kolkata Influence
Born in 1954 in Kolkata, Bhattacharya earned a degree from Calcutta University before training at the Government College of Art & Craft and the College of Visual Arts. Early works such as the 1978‑79 landscapes and the 1980 paintings titled “Desire” reflect the city’s streets, its social tensions and her own quest to visualise lived experience.
Desire – The Thread That Binds
The motif “Desire” first appears in 1980 and resurfaces in 1993, 1998, 2002, 2018, 2019 and most recently in 2026, traversing media from ink and oil to acrylic and bronze. Bhattacharya’s women occupy liminal spaces between domesticity and public protest, their bodies becoming canvases for alternate worlds.
Political Engagement and “Taposhi”
“Taposhi” (2008), a 48‑inch acrylic‑oil canvas, responds to the Singur agitation in West Bengal. Named after Tapasi Malik, whose death became a rallying point, the work captures a chaotic tableau of chameleon‑like figures, protesters and symbols of resistance.
From Flat Surfaces to Sculpture
Since 2014, Bhattacharya has introduced bronze versions of “Desire” alongside fiberglass pieces such as “He I”, “She I”, “Flying Woman” and “Boat”. The pandemic broadened her vocabulary further, giving nature a more prominent, albeit precarious, role in her practice.
Why This Matters
BozokMedia analysis shows that Shipra Bhattacharya’s five‑decade oeuvre not only mirrors India’s socio‑political shifts but also redefines contemporary feminist visual language, influencing emerging artists across South Asia.
"Bhattacharya’s art captures emotions beyond words, inviting viewers to co‑author the narrative," says art historian Dr. Anjali Sharma.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Are all 50 years of her work displayed in this exhibition?
A: No, many pieces remain in private collections and are not on view.
Q2: What upcoming projects does Shipra Bhattacharya have?
A: She is currently planning a large‑scale public mural addressing climate change.
