Untitled

Nikhil Biswas was a founding member of the Society of Contemporary Artists, Calcutta (now Kolkata) along with others like Somnath Hore, and firmly believed in the power of collective art. Struggling with financial difficulties, he used the cheapest material to execute his art—packaging paper, newsprint, and a viscous ink pen. In this disquieting pen and ink drawing, we see two figures waiting near the curtains of a stage. A singular lamp hangs above them—one of the figures is dressed like a medieval jester, though his face has a menacing, skull-like quality.