Shuvaprasanna

Beset by contradictions — chaos and charm, politics and poetry — Kolkata remains Shuvaprasanna’s enduring muse. Through decades of practice, he has drawn inspiration from the city’s upheavals, its layered histories, and its restless energy. His work reflects a deep empathy for its people, an awareness of its fragility, and an unflinching gaze at its moments of decline and beauty.

Born in Calcutta in 1947, just months after Indian independence, Shuvaprasanna is a quintessential artist of the eastern metropolis — one who not only paints Kolkata but embodies its spirit. A graduate of the Indian College of Art, Rabindra Bharati University (1969), he has been a vital member of the Calcutta Painters group, shaping the visual discourse of the city through urban-themed works that span painting, etching, and mixed media.

His artistic language is steeped in metaphor. In his acclaimed series — Illusion, Clock, Bird — and in the recurring presence of crows and owls, he explores the existential anxieties of modern urban life. His cityscapes, strikingly devoid of human figures, echo a deeper solitude — the ghostliness of empty lanes and silent bylanes standing in for the teeming multitudes that Kolkata otherwise holds.

Beyond the studio, Shuvaprasanna has played a pivotal role in nurturing the artistic ecosystem of his city. In 1984, he founded Arts Acre, an artist’s village in Kolkata dedicated to creative exchange and practice. He has also served as editor of Art Today magazine, amplifying voices in contemporary Indian art.

His work has earned recognition from institutions such as the Birla Academy of Art and Culture (Kolkata), Lalit Kala Akademi (West Bengal), and the All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society (New Delhi). He was also the subject of the documentary Shuva and Me by renowned filmmaker Goutam Ghose — a personal journey that included a visit to Germany to meet Nobel laureate Günter Grass.

Today, Shuvaprasanna continues to live and work in Kolkata alongside his wife, fellow artist Shipra Bhattacharya, with whom he shares a deep commitment to art and city alike.

“What every creator wishes to achieve is a universal appeal… One should go beyond themes, beyond words.” — Shuvaprasanna