GALLERIE NVYA

Shipra Bhattacharya

Kolkata, India

Born in 1954, Shipra Bhattacharya was educated at the College of Arts and Crafts and the College of Visual Arts in Kolkata. Shipra’s work has dealt with women’s issues in a confrontational, yet subtle manner. While the female figure forms a central part of her work, it is more the inner consciousness of these women that the artist draws on, using bold yet soft colours and smooth brushwork. There is a mystery about each of her female protagonists, about the want of something more than what meets the eye. In her recent works, the female body becomes a site or a vehicle, that is tattooed with icons and images that voice both fulfillment and desire. The artist combines with ease bright, bold colours and soft, curving strokes, rendering a mesmerizing effect each of her paintings. She is famous for her "Desire" series, which are sensual and decorative, with a reliance on vibrant colours and old-world Indian motifs, sometimes used symbolically. The artist’s works have been exhibited in numerous group shows which have travelled all over the world.