Brief bio
Brief bio
SUDAKSHINA GHOSH [nee DATTA]
Born: 1952 in Calcutta,India
Education:
2009: Completed certificate course in western painting with distinction from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore.
1978: Bachelor of Education(certificate of merit) Loreto collage, Culcutta University, India
1972: Bachelor of Science (Chemistry Honours), Jadavpur University, Calcutta, India
Experience:
Fine art:
Exhibitions and other art related events:
2024- September 21,22- Open Studios 2024- Cambridge Art Council- MA, USA
2022- February- Solo exhibition- NARI at Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata-,India.
Created over a decade ( 2011- 2021) by artist Sudakshina Ghosh, the exhibition titled ‘NARI’ is a collection of works displaying women in their different roles.
2020- February -Solo exhibition of coffee paintings at TRIBE ARTSPACE- Gol Park, Kolkata,India.
2019- 5th April - Solo exhibition : Calcutta- a song in Sepia- Weavers studio centre for the arts, Kolkata, India- This series of works done with coffee is a collection of some images of Calcutta, during the sixties.
September- 2017-Solo exhibition, Shades and Contrasts -Paintings done with coffee on watercolour paper. Wayland public library, MA, USA
September 25-27, 2015: Group exhibition: Exhibited work done with coffee at the New York Coffee Festival organized by Coffee art project.
May 2015: Illustrator for children’s book, Olive and Jay Beach Bungle, author- Swapna Mirashi, published in Singapore
September 2014: Exhibited bronze sculptures at Prakrit Art Gallery, Chennai
June 2014: Delivered talk on Nandalal Bose and his innovation with alpona organized by Apparao Gallery, Chennai
July,2013: Exhibited art work done in mixed media at Nehru centre, UK
July,2013: Delivered talk on ‘ Paintings inspired by Tagore’ at Nehru centre,UK, organized by Baithak, UK
May,2013: Live art at Tagore Festival, Gordon Square, London.
May,2013: Solo exhibition of art works done with coffee at Take away Gallery, Reading, UK.
April,2013: Group exibition, exhibited work done with coffee at Dray Walk Gallery, London
Jan,2012: Live art: ICCR, Kolkata for Baithak, UK
July, 2011- Participated in En plein air water colour workshop- Wayland, MA
May 2011: Solo exhibition of paintings: Timeless Tagore: Rabindranath Tagore's Poetry in Visual Art at The Gallery of Gnani Arts.
May 2011: Exhibited four my works at Institute of Southeast Asian Studies on the occasion of unveiling of a bust of Rabindranath Tagore to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Gurudev, Rabindranath Tagore by His Excellency Shri S.M. Krishna, Minister of External Affairs, Government of India.
October 2009: Work titled ‘sound of silence’ done in acrylic on canvas was chosen from the entries for display at UE square and was later on displayed in the Art Cafe, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore
September 2009: Group exhibition: POP GANESHA! The 4th Show at The Gallery of Gnani Arts showcasing contemporary depictions of the popular elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesha.
August 2009 : Group exhibition: Breakthrough Art: Creations II, a group exhibition held in conjunction with the Singapore Art Show, organized by National Arts Council at Fill-your-walls gallery.
Aug 2006 : Group exhibition: THE GANESHA SHOW 3 : at The Gallery of Gnani Arts. Contemporary depictions of the elephant-headed by masters and emerging artists of India and Singapore.
Academic experience:
2012: Taught Chemistry in Calcutta International School, Kolkata, India
1994 to 2001: Continued to teach Chemistry, Mathematics, Science and Art & Crafts in eminent schools under The Ministry of Education, Singapore.
1990 to 1994: Taught Chemistry, Mathematics, Science and Art & Crafts in Arya Vidya Mandir School, Bandra West, Mumbai
1973 to 1990: Taught Chemistry, Mathematics, Science and Art & Crafts in Modern High School for Girls.
Other:
Performed on stage as a solo singer and solo dancer in India and Singapore and have choreographed and directed several dance drama for Bengali Association-Singapore.
Since 2002, I have been actively involved in social service, teaching and counselling under-privileged children in Singapore and Mumbai.
Conducted educational programs in art and craft for children (Khel Ghar) on Calcutta Doordarshan TV channel.
Worked as a professional bridal make-up artist in Kolkata.
Taught in Bangkok as a teacher of fine arts in May,1988 on a teacher exchange programme American Women’s Association.
Artist statement:
While I pursued my career as a teacher of Chemistry and Math, art remained my constant companion and source of pleasure. I can’t remember a single day in my life when I was not actively involved in some form of art. After I gave up teaching in 2001, I devoted my time completely towards fine arts.
Pursuing art courses and visiting museums around the world, has helped me to gain knowledge and skill, but I believe that an artist needs to go on experimenting and exploring in order to express his or her mind. Working with non-traditional medium like coffee has helped me to explore the possibilities of creating desired effects. I find coffee to be a versatile medium allowing me to use techniques used in painting with watercolour and acrylic.
When I sit in front of an empty canvas or a sheet of paper, I feel like a child running aimlessly in a vast field. I enjoy this freedom as it helps me to start my dialogue with the canvas.
In Tagore’s words,
‘Life is perpetually creative because it contains in itself that surplus which ever overflows the boundaries of the immediate time and space, restlessly pursuing its adventure of expression in the varied forms of self-realization.’
Art works sold in Singapore,USA, India and UK:
Water colour on paper,
Charcoal and pencil work on paper,
acrylic on canvas,
work done with coffee on paper.
Private collection of works:
Singapore, India, UK and USA