Untitled

Rabin Mondal’s thought process was shaped by a series of tumultuous socio-political events in Bengal that he experienced while growing up. It aided the development of a unique visual vocabulary for his art, which was inspired by primitive and tribal art and harnessed its potent simplifications. The bold and expressionistic use of black and red are part of that vocabulary as can be seen in this work, carrying the angst of the 1970s. The painting shows many disconcerting forms—a seemingly dismembered palm nailed to the wood, a bearded face at the bottom, a buffalo head—altogether pervading the picture with a sense of gloom.