Knife Grinder

Primarily a printmaker, Haren Das evokes a sense of nostalgia and romanticism in Knife Grinder. With a keen sense of observation, he portrays seemingly-insignificant commonplace moments—a woman getting her knife sharpened by a local peddler of odd goods—and gives them a haunting quality. Given how many of these local jobs have vanished, Das’s work gains historical significance in documenting an India that was idyllic but now lost forever. Nurturing a nostalgic vision as a printmaker, Das’s contribution in perfecting this medium remains unparalleled.