Untitled

By 1982, the year Shyamal Dutta Ray created this artwork and won the Lalit Kala Akademi’s National Award, he had already become an established artist for his neo-realist style of painting infused with political commentary. The dense white smoke billowing from the wood fire in this Untitled work contrasts strikingly against the overcast sky. The imagery of the open fire and broken utensils signifies life’s undying tenacity even in adversity, or, ignorance towards the suffering masses. Flags—religious and political—litter the landscape as ironic markers of a society where infighting has become increasingly common.