Beast

Shuvaprasanna has always had the ability to surprise, and is not just a painter of harmless still-lifes, and of crows, but also beastly beings. This acrylic and charcoal work, titled Beast, is an example. A nocturnal predator, the likes of this beast—vulturine birds, preying owls and scavenging dogs—prowl the streets, instilling fear in the weak-hearted with their feral demeanour and deep growl. Shuvaprasanna paints them with a malevolent power, his brushstrokes vicariously detailed. In this painting, the black on black of the canine’s body and bristling hair add to the sense of terror one feels when coming across a street dog in the neighbourhood.