Visual Rhapsody

Abanindranath Tagore once remarked, ‘Is an artist obliged only to paint?’ The surge of creativity may often hurtle an artist into different media of expression. In his youth, Rabindranath Tagore also light-heartedly wrote that he did not intend to disappoint any of the ‘muses’, that he longed to try his hand at everything, even painting. This is how a poet wants to step outside poetry and an artist wishes to explore beyond painting. In the history of art and literature there are numerous such instances of border-crossing. Visual Rhapsody is a fascinating tale of this cross-over. A collection of poems, drawings and paintings by 23 trail-blazing Bengali artists, it captures the essence of the Art of Bengal in poetic and visual format as it has never been depicted before. A bilingual publication in Bengali and English, its appeal lies in the editor’s ability to assimilate and blend a compelling range so exquisitely, without overwhelming the reader. Visual Rhapsody is a magical presentation of masters, both past and present, where art meets art and leaves us with indelible impressions.

Debashish Chanda

Poet and art critic Debashis Chanda is a journalist by profession. He writes on the arts as well as on various cultural issues and has also edited a literary magazine, Aneeshwar.