pgjoia777 Women In Art At Taj Bengal Brings Kolkata To A Standstill

　　Women In Art At Taj Bengal Brings Kolkata To A Standstill Women In Art At Taj Bengal Brings Kolkata To A Standstill

A phenomenal show that celebrated art by women and art on women brought the City of Joy to a standstill. pgjoia777

Taj Bengal's second edition of Women in Art that opened on March 7 - a day before the International Women's Day 2025 at the hotel poolside saw one of the biggest congregations of phenomenal art work by 22 artists across 13 mediums.

This includes repertoires by some of the most revered artists including Pulitzer winning photographer Sanna Irshad Mattoo, an astonishing six-time recipient of World Press Photo awards and honorary fellow of the Royal Photography Society Ami Vitale, global sensation Kristina Makeeva, Bangladesh's most renowned humanitarian documenter Ayesha Mou, renowned Parsi artist Katayun Saklat, architect and graphic artist from Bangalore Surabhi Banerjee, Bengal's most renowned Patachitra artist Swarnachitrakar, foremost terracotta master Ram Kumar Manna, 

Zii Jia claimed victory in the bronze medal match defeating Lakshya 13-21, 21-16, 21-11 in a clash that lasted 71 minutes. This is the first time since London 2012 Games that India will come back from the Olympics without a badminton medal.

Sen fought hard in the semi-final match and despite taking lead in both the sets, lost to the Danish shuttler. Axelsen showed brilliant control and dominated in the court after trailing in both sets.

Bangladeshi artist Nasheen's protest art, Shreya Goswami's spectacular mural called Women of Bengal, Malika Dudeja Varma's intricate kantha work and Ruplekha Ghosh's unique repertoire using twigs and dry leaves. 

The show also saw the Maharani of Baroda Radhika Raje Gaekwad showcase her poetry for the first time ever. 

Gaekwad was also one of the Chief Guests to open the landmark show. 

Named by Forbes as India's most Beautiful Queen, Gaekwad is an art and textile revivalist and a champion of preserving heritage. She lives in the sprawling Laxmi Vilas Palace in Gujarat which is the world's largest private residence. 

Talking about the show, Gaekwad said "I believe women interpret and interact with circumstances and relationships in a very unique and sensitive way. Today, more than ever before, the world immersed in war and disparity is in need of newer more compassionate ways of responding. Art being one of the most creative human forms of expression needs to be viewed also from a feminine lens".

She added "Most definitely, women feel and emote in a language entirely their own. Writing is my most personal yet powerful form of expression. It is my dialogue with myself, both for self inquiry and inspiration. Up until now it rarely left the pages of my diary". 

The idea of Women in Art - art by women and art on women was conceptualised by the two visionaries of Taj Bengal - K Mohanchandran and Arnab Chatterjee and has become a rage. Over the past few days, all roads in Kolkata seemed to have led to the iconic hotel. 

Mohanchandran said "The International Women’s Day provides a focal point for issues such as inclusion and diversity – to make the world a better place for everyone. Art, in many ways, captures similar themes and inspires, engages and motivates the community. At Taj Bengal, we had this wonderful, calming, almost mesmerizing space by the poolside which lends itself to being a stunning outdoor gallery and I guess this thought of combining these two ideas – the Women's Day and Art in this beautiful space – made me think of this concept. And I was fortunate that Kounteya could grasp and execute this idea so brilliantly".

He added "Last year was immensely successful and buoyed by the response, we have recreated this again. For me this is an emotional project, not least because of the enthusiasm and passion that the curator brings to it but also the specific narratives the artists convey always touch a chord". 

Chatterjee said "The show is quite significant, especially considering the hotel's 35-year legacy of showcasing Bengal's rich cultural heritage. The hotel's design itself is influenced by Bengal art, featuring terracotta murals and signature sculptures in the lobby. At IHCL, we encourage diversity. I think we have enormous talent in India, especially in Kolkata who should be given a chance to showcase their brilliance. This annual feature of Taj Bengal is one step towards our promise to preserve certain art forms and promote all such brilliant work done by women artists or works dedicated to women of the city".

The show was curated by one of India's greatest ambassadors of arts and culture and world renowned photographer, journalist and storyteller Kounteya Sinha. 

He said "This historic show was decided last year just a week before Women's day and yet it caused a stampede. This year, I have got together works from various parts of the world - some of the most iconic names in the business. On one side we have the greats like Vitale and Matoo while on the other we have superb homegrown talents like Bhavna Khemka, Payal Mitra Sarkar,betef slots Moumita Basak, Gopal Chandra Naskar, Bhaskar Chitrakar and Sudeshna Saha. I have always believed that the work of great artists should always share space with younger upcoming bright talents so that it not only inspires the latter but also makes them believe that it is possible for the world to sit up and celebrate their work in the same breath as they do that of the masters".

"We also had the amazing women of Pushpabitan showcase their prowess with floral art - the only artists to be repeated this year," Sinha added. 

Creative Director of the show Oiendrila Ray Kapur said "It is a real challenge to exhibit some of the world's greatest art works in a space as huge as the Taj poolside. This year will be a real treat for art lovers as the varied mediums of work touch upon important narratives like identity, nature, revolution, conservation and introspection. The repertoires will not just regale but also make you think - powerful stories told by some of the world's best artistic minds".

One of the showstoppers of the show was Arijit Dutta and Purnima Dutta's private collection of Satyajit Ray's original movie posters. For the first time ever, nearly two dozen original artworks of Satyajit Ray will be showcased in a single place. 

Dutta said "No one celebrated women like he did. No one understood women like he did. No one portrayed women like he did. And hence I’ve decided to show the original posters of Ray’s films - decades old - from my private collection. We as a family at Priya Cinemas were producers of three of Ray’s most iconic films - Goopi Gayne Bagha Byne, Aranyer Din Ratri and Prayidwandi. The original artworks are from historic films like Devi, Nayak, Panther Panchali, Hirak Rajar Deshe, Teen Kanya and Apur Sansar among others".

Interestingly Ray's son - filmmaker Sandip Ray has also decided to show five of Ray's original works at the show 

The historic opening saw six Padma Shri and Padmabhushan winners on a single stage including iconic dancer Mallika Sarabhai (Padma Bhushan), Mamata Shankar (Padma Shri), Tejendra Narayan Majumdar (Padma Shri), MP and actress June Malia, Maharani Radhika Raje Gaekwad, Sanna Irshad Mattoo (Pulitzer winner), Sanatan Rudra Pal (Padma Shri), Mithu Sen (Multiple Award winning Artist), Former Miss Ireland and actress Alexandra Taylor, Former Miss Universe India Ushoshi Sengupta and Gokul Chandra Das (Padma Shri) among others. 

A unique repertoire at the show was a remembrance of Ram Indranil Kamath's unseen repertoire from the private collection of Ushoshi Sengupta. A brilliant artist, Kamath ended his life through suicide in 2020. Sengupta inherited most of Kamath's works and is showing them at the show. She said "After Ram passed, this is the first showcasing of his art. And honestly no better way to begin than with Women in Arts. His work has always been a dedication to the goddess within every woman. This show that began last year at Taj Bengal is a significant event in Kolkata’s art calendar and stands out because it not only highlights the artistic brilliance of women but also pays tribute to the feminine spirit. The collection is a blend of legacy and contemporary expression, making it a truly special experience". 

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World renowned photographer Ami Vitale showcased three of her iconic repertoires - story on Pandas, a series on the first indigenous elephant sanctuary in the world that also hires indigenous women to be keepers and the ongoing story of saving rhinos from extinction. Ami said "In the past 50 years, we have lost 73% of the world’s wildlife. This stark reality underscores the urgent biodiversity crisis we face. The future of our planet is in our hands, and we cannot afford to feel overwhelmed or hope that someone else will address the problem. Photography plays a critical role in highlighting the interconnectedness of individual well-being and environmental health. Images prompt conversation and consideration of how we can protect and value these irreplaceable environments across the planet. They cut through apathy, capture reality, evoke empathy, and ignite action. Through this visual medium, we reconnect people with nature, highlighting not only the perils but also the promise—the hope that exists all around us". 

"My hope is that these images and stories motivate more of us to transition from passive observation to active advocacy," Ami who is a recipient of the prestigious Lucie Humanitarian Award added. 

Ray Kapur adds "I believe in the role of Shakti in creation. Shiva is consciousness and Shakti is creativity. Creating life itself is the power of Shakti. It’s not an easy task and yet we take it on graciouslypgjoia777, with pride and joy. Women in Art celebrates this Shakti amongst us. It allows expression through various mediums the varied sides of Shakti. Not by women alone by also through the eyes of our male counterparts and the way they celebrate us through art".