Babas & Bibis

Shyamal Mukherjee is a highly acclaimed contemporary Indian artist. Mukherjee spent all of his college years in Santiniketan, first completing his BFA in 1987, and then his MFA in 1989 from the Rabindra Bharati University. He is an artist who has spent his entire life in Kolkata, only venturing out to attend showings of his works, and only speaking in Bengali. In Mukherjee`s work, we see the Bengal School strong figurative tradition being carried ahead and interpreted in a very contemporary idiom. He is best known for his vibrant, figurative paintings, especially the popular "Baba and Bibi" series, which are characterized by a unique technique of reverse painting on transparent acrylic sheets. The figures often appear as performers, symbolizing how everyone puts on an act in daily life. He explores themes of shared humanity, empathy, and the invisible threads that connect individuals across boundaries, often painting people in pairs or groups. His art is intended to spread happiness and joy, blending humour and pathos. Mukherjee has been a prolific artist with more than 36 solo exhibitions across India and internationally in Dubai, Sri Lanka, Bangkok, Europe, and Russia.