NARAYAN CHANDRA BISWAS’ FIRST SOLO EXHIBITION, ঐতিহ্য : AITIJHYA

NARAYAN CHANDRA BISWAS’ FIRST SOLO EXHIBITION, ঐতিহ্য : AITIJHYA | PALETTE ART GALLERY

The ravelled social fabric of a region often seeps into the personal life of an individual — serving as both a catalyst and canvas for their creative expression. The same can be said for Narayan Chandra Biswas, for whom these entanglements became fertile ground for his artistic inquiry. Inviting viewers to look past surface brilliance and into the layered meanings that lie beneath, Narayan’s sculptures have an overweening command over the form and material, constructing illusions that excite even the most sophisticated eyes.

Born in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, Narayan’s personal history is marked by migration; his family relocated from Kolkata in 1980, impacted by the geopolitical unrest between Bangladesh and Pakistan, then known as East and West Pakistan. A gifted sculptor, his artistic legacy traces back to his father, Ananta Biswas — once a mechanical engineer, later a skilled carpenter. His artistic evolution is deeply interwoven with this history, drawing from cultural heritage, familial ties, and a relentless curiosity for form and meaning.

Growing up in Bastar, a region famed for its metal artistry, Biswas developed an early tactile relationship with the medium, which he would later manipulate with exceptional finesse and flexibility. In 2010, a significant shift occurred when Biswas joined Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in Gujarat. Initially focused on painting and drawing, his practice gradually pivoted toward sculpture, particularly using metal. This material became symbolic in his work — evocative of endurance and memory, qualities he intimately associated with his father.

His debut solo exhibition, ঐতিহ্য : Aitijhya, is a compelling exploration of India’s architectural and cultural legacy. Drawing inspiration from the “Pol”— traditional clusters of homes that housed a mosaic of social classes — Biswas constructs sculptural forms that subtly interweave symbols of religion, politics, and economy. These works merge distinct monumental elements into large-scale, free-standing structures, forming a visual language that mirrors the layered realities of India’s societal hierarchy.

Aitijhya, then a homage to the pluralistic essence of Indian heritage. By integrating architectural motifs from across religious and cultural domains, Biswas addresses themes of marginalisation and collective identity. His sculptures bring together diverse materials and structural idioms — like the wooden crucifix and the crescent moon — not merely as aesthetic choices, but as bold statements of inclusivity and shared history.

Towering and immersive, his installations dominate space and perception, engaging viewers in a visceral dance of light and shadow, stillness and subconscious reflection. Biswas’s precision and emotive resonance lift his sculptures from technical feats to powerful acts of storytelling, solidifying his place as an emerging voice in contemporary art.

The exhibition’s title, ঐতিহ্য : Aitijhya, is derived from the Bangla word for ‘legacy’ or ‘oral tradition’ — a nod to Biswas’s roots and the silent inheritance passed from father to son. This intimate thread of generational memory finds poetic echo in the words of Nida Fazli, whose elegy Walid Ki Wafat Par encapsulates the same longing, reverence, and creative fire that fuel Biswas’s journey. Without his father’s quiet influence, Narayan Chandra Biswas might never have found his path — but through art, he continues to build upon that cherished inheritance, one sculpture at a time.