At Kolkata's prestigious Birla Academy of Art & Culture, the colour blue recently transformed from a simple visual element into a profound medium for dialogue and introspection. Esteemed photographer Dr. Kausik Ghosh, celebrated for his contemplative and narrative-driven visual style, marked a significant artistic milestone. He simultaneously inaugurated his 15th photography exhibition and launched his 13th published book, titled "BLUES." The dual event successfully converted the gallery space into a resonant exploration of tone, texture, and deep-seated human feeling.
A Visual Symphony in Shades of Blue
The core of the exhibition was a meticulous investigation into the multifaceted nature of the colour blue. Dr. Ghosh's lens framed blue not merely as a pigment but as mood, metaphor, and memory. His photographs masterfully illustrated the hue's inherent duality, capturing its serene calm alongside its profound melancholy, and its spiritual depth paired with tangible stillness. Visitors were drawn into an immersive experience where blue ceased to be just a colour seen by the eye and became a palpable pulse felt by the mind, prompting a silent dialogue on personal perception and emotion.
Panel Discussion: Deconstructing the 'BLUES' Across Disciplines
Following the inauguration, the event progressed to a stimulating panel discussion named "Presence and Perception of BLUES." This session expertly wove together threads of art criticism, philosophical inquiry, and cinematic analysis. A distinguished panel, including Samik Bandopadhyay, IAS officer Atri Bhattacharya, Chandra Bhattacharya, Raju Raman, Barun Chanda, Sudripto Tagore, and Ashok Viswanathan, delved into blue's powerful influence on creative thought. The conversation traversed diverse references, from the despair in Van Gogh's iconic works and the symbolic skies in Indian miniature paintings to spiritual metaphors and its aesthetic use in film.
Audience Engagement and Personal Reflections
Adding a layer of spontaneity and personal connection, several audience members shared their spontaneous impressions. Notable personalities like Abir Chatterjee, Ishaa Saha, Amrita Chattopadhyay, Srikanta Acharya, Premendu Chaki, Arghyo Kamal Mitra, Premendu Bikash Chaki, and Ipshita Barat contributed their unique associations with the colour blue. They reflected on the specific moods and memories evoked by the photographs, highlighting the exhibition's success in creating a shared, yet deeply personal, emotional experience.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Kausik Ghosh shared his inspiration, stating, "Blue has always fascinated me — it’s at once tranquil and turbulent. 'BLUES' is my attempt to translate that complex emotion into imagery, to explore how a single colour can transform into a complete language of expression."
The evening stood as more than a celebration of an individual artist's achievement. It served as a collective meditation on the enduring power of art to give shape, shade, and substance to human thought and feeling. The event reaffirmed that for Dr. Ghosh, photography transcends mere visual documentation; it is a dedicated pursuit of capturing what the mind feels and the heart perceives.
