Hiran Mitra is an artist based in Kolkata. He left his ancestral country home in Kharagpur to study Fine Art in the Government College of Art & Craft, Kolkata at the age of 14. His paintings are energetic abstract gestural paintings with the choreography of the human body observed from folk dance having influenced his recent calligraphic forms. He has contributed significantly to the visual stimulus in eastern Indian films, television, theatre and literature since in the 1980s. He is also known to have defined a benchmark for book cover design for contemporary Bengali literature. His paintings are statements on the human condition and the twilight zones of reality and time. Bold brush strokes, layered washes and sprays and unconventional use of acrylic and industrial paints characterize his paintings. He is part of the Open Window Artist group and has been part of the Painters 80 Artist group in Kolkata.
Selected exhibitions
Solo exhibitions
2007
Written Image–Paintings & Installation–Oct 2007. Gallery Yapanchitra, India Form and Color–Paintings of Hiran Mitra–Gallery Thuillier, Paris, Oct 2007
Paper Landscapes, Works on paper, at Gallery 27, London, Mar 2007
Book Launch: Shadows–monography
2006
Inner Sensation, recent paintings by Hiran Mitra, Gallery 27, London
2003
Works of Movement in Dance, Theatre, Rabindra Sadan, Kolkata
2002
"Journey with Rang Number", Academy of Fine Arts Kolkata, Performance, Installation.
2000
Right line Gallery, Bangalore
1997
Gaganendra Chitrashala, Calcutta
1995
Graphics on film, Nandan Film & Cultural centre, Calcutta
1995
Retrospective of two decades 70s–80s, Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Calcutta
Paintings & Drawings, Birla Academy of Arts & Culture, Calcutta
1966
Paintings & Drawings, Academy of Fine Arts, Calcutta
Group shows (selection) / International Art Bi-annuals
2008
Art Full of Bag—An installation concerning the Indian Art Market, Indian Society of Contemporary Artists at Birla Academy, *June 2008 Fusion III, Art Mosaic Gallery, August 2008
2007
Biennale dell Arte Contemporane di Firenze, Florence Italy 1 Open Window group–Art Context gallery, Singapore
2006
Who Do you think I am ? Gallery in Cork Street, London Gallery La Mere, Annual group Show, Kolkata
2005
"Color Palette" Habitat Centre, New Delhi Special artists show, CIMA Kolkata Visual Art Gallery–New Delhi
Birla Acandemy of Art & Culture Art of Bengal, CIMA Gallery, Mumbai
2001
"Collections d’Hiver", Galerie Jacob, Paris
2000
"Art & Bread, Kunst au Indien", Curated by Hannalore Christ, Hamburg "Contemporary Indian Artists", Birla Academy of Fine Arts, Bangalore Painters 80, Academy of Fine Arts, Calcutta "Art for Heart", Indian National Museum, Calcutta Artists of the Millennium, Townhall Museum, Calcutta
1999
The Contemporary Indian Art Show, Birla Academy, New Delhi & Mumbai Abstract Trends International, curated Dr Archana Roy,– Birla Academy, Calcutta Painters 80, Jehangir Art Gallery Mumbai
1998
"All India Show", Birla Academy New Delhi, Bombay, Bangalore, Calcutta Bengal Artists, Birla Academy of Arts & culture, Calcutta
1997
Eisenstein in the eyes on Artists, graphic sketches, Gorky Sadan, Calcutta
1996
"All India Show"—Guest Artist, Birla Academy New Delhi, Bombay, Bangalore.
1969
Emerging Artists of Bengal, French Cultural Centre, Calcutta
Public collections
Indian National Museum, Nimai Chatterji collection in Tate Modern,
Museum of Contemporary Art Dunkerque.
Publications and media / editions
"Shadows"–Monograph of three decades of works on paper, foreword Gerard Xuriguera, Edition FDW France
Painter of the Month: Guest, BBC World Service, hosted by Aminul Haque May 1997.
"International Art ?", by Arun Ghosh, Calcutta Metropolitan Festival of Art, Edition1997.
"Film & Art", by Pralay Sur Nandan Film Institute.
"Modern Art in traditional Rural Painting of Bengal"
"Poetry in Paintings: Four Eminent Poets of Bengal", Volume 1 & 2, Illustrated with paintings of Hiran Mitra.
"Art & Society", by Hiran Mitra, Abaad publications, 1996.
1980–99 Essays on Art, Film & Social Behaviour in major daily newspapers.
