Jatin Das
Jatin Das, one of the most prolific figurative painters, is also a graphic artist, sculptor, muralist and a poet. He was born in 1941 in Mayurbhanj, Orissa. Jatin studied painting at Sir J J School of Art in Bombay (1957-62). Since he finished his art educated he has been participating in all important national and international art exhibitions, namely the Biennales in Paris (1971), and in Venice (1978) and the Documenta in Kessel (1975).
A tirelessly innovative explorer of dynamic human figures in terms of linear structure and breezy brushwork, Jatin Das focuses mainly on man-woman relationships in varying moments of crises, contacts, revelation, and emotional tension. There is a monumentality in his treatment of human forms, which is retained even when the forms are energized by way of rhythmic discontinuities of color-planes and rushing lines. A sensitive colorist who refuses to treat his imagery in 3-D volumes, Jatin charges his palette with emotional nuances.
Between 1965 and 1991, he participated in 37 solo shows, national and international, presenting a revealing retrospective sponsored by the ITC at the Lalit Kala Gallery in 1991. He attended 12 artists’ camps (1974-89), four workshops and offered his works at 14 charity shows all over India. Fourteen limited editions of his theme-based graphics and conte drawings have been published in India, Germany and U.K.
Jatin Das was the Consultant to the Handicraft Board for seven north-eastern states in India for the Festival of India in Russia (1987-88), Folk Art Museum, Government of Orissa (1965- 89), Rural Indian Complex: “Asia’72, New Delhi, and was the Art Designer for the Handicraft Handloom Export Corporation of India (1 969). He taught at the Jamia Milia Islamia University, -new Delhi, School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi and College of Art, Women’s Polytechnic and the National School of Drama, New Delhi. On cultural exchange programs Jatin Das traveled widely in Europe, Middle East and the U.K. He is a member of the General Council, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, State Lalit Kala Akademi, Orissa, the Urban Arts Commission, New Delhi, HUDCO, Philatelic Advisory Committee, Postal Department, New Delhi, INTACH, India International Center, New Delhi, North-Central Zonal Cultural Center, and also a member of the Board of Governors, Delhi University. He was on the jury for the National Film Festival.
Jatin Das is the founder-member of ‘The Poetry Society’, New Delhi, co-editor of Blunt: Poetry Magazine, Bombay, with R. Parthasarthy and Indrasen M. Jayakar (1964). His Poems by Jatin Das was published by Writers’ Workshop, Calcutta, in 1972. His works are in numerous public and private collections in India and abroad.
Jatin Das executed murals for Birla Kreeda Kendra, Bombay, in egg-tempera, 1964. Dena Bank, Bombay, in mosaic, 1965, Asia ’72, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, New Delhi, a collage mural on the same occasion, New Delhi in 1972, for the Hodal Tourist Complex, Government of Haryana, in metal in 1974, Tapestry Handloom Commission, New Delhi in 1983. In 1995, he completed his biggest sculpture in steel, a 30 ft. open-air piece, for the Bhilai Steel Plant.
Jatin Das lives and works in New Delhi.
