Mask and Man - II

For someone who had been witness to three Partitions of the Indian subcontinent (1905, 1947, 1971), B. C. Sanyal’s work emerged from both, socio-political and socio-cultural contexts. In this self-portrait, the artist holds a mask (resembling the Japanese Noh) close to his face. Behind the protagonist, we find other elements, including birds, people, graffiti that point to the fundamental right of voting. These are everyday scenes that are encountered but in creating a stunning juxtaposition of colour and form, the artist offers a narrative that is critical.