After recognition of 1929, Jamini had to work upon his new identity which he was going to show to the art world’s elites. A little light and a little push towards the beauty of art lead him to a lifelong career of exploration, understanding, and deep feelings towards his art. Artists are always hungry for praise and recognition; it is not the money that fuels them but the understanding of people and love by the populace that make them come up with much stronger works.
It was destined to be a burst of creativity after 1929. He started painting more and more with high intensity, focus, and love. It was the time that was getting him recognition, love, and appreciation. It was the dawn of Indian art over the horizon of the art world. The lead of the Bengali folk art was in the hand of Jamini. It is some kind of underdog to underworld kind of incident and our art world experiencing the same thing but does it make any significant change over the view of the other contemporary artists of those times? Well, when we look closely at the page of Bengal history, art comes with a decision and composition of shades which doesn’t only showcase the duality and beauty of the art but also the nature of Indian artists of the past.
We see the changes in the art world decade by decade and try to understand the need and feelings of the artist when they created that art. It was the time when the artists started leaning towards the more eastern and specifically Indian arts. This new revolution in the art world was headed by Jamini Roy and life was gifting him what he deserved. In the meantime, Jamini was one of the most sought-after personalities of Bengal in the art world. His recipient of the Viceroy’s Gold Medal in 1934 is proof of his presence in the art world. His slow recognition and fast work made him a well-known person in very little time. He was definitely an artist of the future but these all achievements which he was getting in 1930 to 1940s were no less than important than the struggles he faced during the time of his childhood to adulthood for the sake of name in the cruel art world.
We can never understand the fact, how much people had tried and given up before Jamini who also have the talent and zeal to be the next best thing but his art was something that was inspiring to the future underdogs to go beyond the imagination and expertise and explore the new horizon for the art-world.
Looking upon a rising sun brings new energy and hope. It was nothing sort of miracle in finding out an artist with a different vision and outstanding brush strokes which not only changed the soil of his nation but also impacted the world around him. Most of his works between the 1930s and 40s were outstanding and bright… it was a message that the flower in the artist is blooming with its full force and this cannot be ignored, depressed, or minimized by any force. He was nothing sort of miracle on the top of the art world. All the leading artists of his time we’re witnessing a never appeared star on the horizon with the brightness and intensity so high that conquering the whole sky.
The works of this time were very experimental and full of creativity. His traditional works with the touch of creativity and folklore were changing the whole vibes. His works were changing from academic and nationalist to modernist and nativist. His new folk style was contemporary but different from his colleagues of that era.
In the time of 1930s and 1940s, he was revolutionizing and subtly working on his art. This was the crucial time of his career because it was the time when he got the attention as well as he had the freedom to explore the new options and techniques. If we look upon the social situation of the country then it was the time before the independence. A perfect time to explore and understand native art & introduce it to the world stage.
Vikash Kalra is a self-taught artist and writer based in New Delhi whose work has been exhibited across India and is held in several private and corporate collections.