Hiran Mitra

Hiran Mitra (born 1945) is an artist based in Kolkata ( West Bengal, India). He left his ancestral country home in Kharagpur to study Fine Art in the Government Art College of Kolkata at the age of 14. His paintings are energetic abstract gestural paintings with the choreography of the human body observed from folk dance having influenced his recent calligraphic forms⁽¹⁾. He has contributed significantly to the visual stimulus in eastern Indian films⁽²⁾, television, theatre⁽³⁾ and literature since in the 1980s. He is also known to have defined a benchmark for book cover design for contemporary bengali literature⁽⁴⁾. His paintings are statements on the human condition and the twilight zones of reality and time. Bold brush strokes, layered washes and sprays and unconventional use of acrylic and industrial paints characterize his paintings. He is part of the Open Window Artist group and has been part of the Painters 80 Artist group in Kolkata.

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Selected Exhibitions

"Solo exhibitions"

2007
Written Image–Paintings & Installation–Oct 2007. Gallery Yapanchitra, India
Form and Color–Paintings of Hiran Mitra–Gallery Thuillier, Paris, Oct 07
Paper Landscapes, Works on paper, at Gallery 27, London, Mar 07
Book Launch : Shadows–monography ( Ed. FDW France, Gerard Xuriguera)
2006
Inner Sensation, recent paintings by Hiran Mitra, Gallery 27, London
2003
Works of Movement in Dance, Theatre , Rabindra Sadan , Kolkata
2002
“Journey with Rang Number”,Academy of Fine Arts Kolkata, Performance, Installation.
2000
Right line Gallery , Bangalore
1997
Gaganendra Chitrashala, Calcutta
1995
Graphics on film, Nandan Film & Cultural centre.Calcutta
1995
Retrospective of two decades 70s-80s, Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Calcutta
1991
Paintings inspired by Voices of Baul Music. Calcutta School of Music
1980
Paintings, Academy of Fine Arts, Calcutta
1969
Paintings & Drawings, Birla Academy of Arts & Culture, Calcutta
1966
Paintings & Drawings, Academy of Fine Arts, Calcutta

Group Shows (Selection) / International Art Bi-annuals"

2008
Art Full of Bag - An installation concerning the Indian Art Market, Indian Society of Contemporary Artists at Birla Academy, "June 2008"
Fusion III, Art Mosaic Gallery, "August 2008"
2007
Biennale dell Arte Contemporane di Firenze , Florence Italy ¹
Open Window group–Art Context gallery, Singapore
2006
Who Do you thik I am ? Gallery in Cork Street, London
Gallery La Mere, Annual group Show, Kolkata
2005
“Color Palette” Habitat Centre , New Delhi
Special artists show, CIMA Kolkata
Visual Art Gallery–New Delhi
2004
“Contemporary Forms” , Cima Gallery , Kolkata
Indian Contemporary Art–Eleven Artists, Hart Gallery, Beijing
2003
Birla Acandemy of Art & Culture
Art of Bengal , CIMA Gallery, Mumbai
2001
“Collections d’Hiver", Galerie Jacob , Paris
2000
“Art & Bread, Kunst au Indien, Curated by Hannalore Christ , Hamburg
“Contemporary Indian Artists” , Birla Academy of Fine Arts, Bangalore
Painters 80, Academy of Fine Arts, Calcutta
“Art for Heart”, Indian National Museum , Calcutta
Artists of the Millennium, Townhall Museum, Calcutta
1999
The Contemporary Indian Art Show , Birla Academy , New Delhi & Mumbai
Abstract Trends International, curated Dr Archana Roy,– Birla Academy , Calcutta
Painters 80 , Jehangir Art Gallery Mumbai
1998
“All India Show”, Birla Academy New Delhi, Bombay, Bangalore, Calcutta
Bengal Artists , Birla Academy of Arts & culture, Calcutta
1997
Eisenstein in the eyes on Artists, graphic sketches, Gorky Sadan, Calcutta
1996
“All India Show” - Guest Artist, Birla Academy New Delhi, Bombay, Bangalore.
1969
Emerging Artists of Bengal, French Cultural Centre, Calcutta

"Public Collections"Indian National Museum, Nimai Chatterji collection in Tate Modern,Museum of Contemporary Art Dunkerque.

"Publications & Media / Editions"
“Shadows”–Monograph of three decades of works on paper, foreword Gerard Xuriguera, Edition FDW FrancePainter of the Month: Guest , BBC World Service, hosted by Aminul Haque May 1997.“International Art ?”, by Arun Ghosh, (art crtic) Calcutta Metropolitan Festival of Art, Edition1997.“Film & Art” , by Pralay Sur (Film critic) Nandan Film Institute.“Modern Art in traditional Rural Painting of Bengal“Poetry in Paintings : Four Eminent Poets of Bengal”, Volume 1 & 2, Illustrated with paintings of Hiran Mitra.“Art & Society” , by Hiran Mitra, Abaad publications, 1996.1980 -99–Essays on Art, Film & Social Behaviour in major daily newspapers.

"Awards"
Residency , Lalit Kala Academy , New Delhi , Government of India1969, 70, 71 Gold Medal, Academy of Fine Arts, All India Emerging Artist.

"Art projects ( Selection)"
Art Full of Bag , Installation/Workshop , Birla Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata 2008
Scene design with 10m x 6m Canvas, for the Modern drama : Tista paarer brithantho.
Visual Vibrations, live painting with contemporary music performance.
The Chau Dancers of Purulia : study on movement and body language from Dance theatre to Painting.
Various Workshops exploring Visual Arts relationship to Body Language–Naya Theatre, with Habib Tanvir Dance Company, Padatik Troupe, Chetna Jalan Show, Nabonittya, Chetana Theatre Group
Art Workshop with various Indian artists–Lalit Kala Academy , Manipur

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References

1. Florence Biennale 2007 Video on Artist [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EX7Gd48h4c]
2. 68th Annual BFJA Awards 2005, Art Direction [http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/200568.htm]
3. Teesta Barer Brittanto [http://ias.berkeley.edu/SouthAsia/teesta.html]
4. Portraits and writings by Hiran Mitra in Bengali Little Magazine [http://boipara.blogspot.com/2007/09/portraits-and-writings-by-hiran-mitra.html]

External links

More information and images on www.SaatchiGallery.com
More Images on Kolkata Gallery [http://www.namesanart.com/artist.asp?cboartist=A00121]
More images on Saffronart.com [http://www.saffronart.com/fixed/ItemDetails.aspx?iid=21857&a=Hiran%20%20Mitra]
Further images and artist biography from www.artborderline.com [http://www.artborderline.com/hiran_mitra/]