Amitava Das was born in New Delhi in 1947 and graduated from the Delhi College of Art in
1972. In his youth, Amitava was strongly influenced by the existential philosophy of Sartre and
Camus as well as the poetry of Jibananda Das and Shakti Chattopadhyay. The existential
dilemma of a man thrown into a world as a stranger is characteristic of his work. In his paintings,
Amitava introduces a single figure within a dense, turgidly rendered space. His work is primarily
based on human situations, where man is both the creator and the destroyer. The natural and
artificial are cleverly fused to show the interdependence of the man-made and natural worlds. He
tries to bring out the inner struggles of men placed in difficult times.
From the gentleness and resignation in his earlier works, he moved on to canvases that depict the
violence and avarice of modern times. Working with a variety of mediums, Amitava uses
watercolours, oils, and pastels to portray his thoughts and feelings evoked by his observations of
the life around him. In the 70’s Amitava co-founded the New Group, a Delhi based artists
collective.
He received the National Award, Lalit Kala Akademi in 1976. The artist has participated in several
exhibitions in India and abroad. Amitava continues to remain a keen observer of the world around
him, translating his thought processes into semi-abstract paintings.
He lives and works in New Delhi.
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