(Born-1953)
Manoj Mitra was born in Kolkata, West Bengal, 1953. He is an eminent Indian contemporary artist. He studied from Govt. College of Art & Craft, Kolkata,1977. In 1984, he has been becoming a member of Society of Contemporary Artists. He has done several solo and group exhibitions in Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, and achieved various awards, such as, Governor's Award in 1975 and 1976, Academy of Fine Arts award 1977, 4th Govt of W.B. Exhibition award in 1988, certificate of merit from Govt. College of Art & Craft, Kolkata, 1974. His paintings collections in Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi, and Glenbarra Art Museum, Japan.
Mitra says, “Paintings fascinated me from my very childhood. I used to doodle with paints and brushes then. Now my life gravitates around painting alone. Sometimes I have to paint to eke out a living but most often an inner compulsive force tries to surface through paints and I am compelled to express it.”
Mitra’s series on women blends beauty and nature. The women in his paintings look graceful and gentle, surrounded by various aspects of nature. His work combines female portraiture with natural elements, smoothly blending them on the canvas. He experimenting with various mediums, such as, oils, pens and inks, mix media, acrylics, charcoals and watercolours. His colour palette is sober and subtle, which is soothing to the viewers’ eyes.
