Kolkata-based Ananta Mandal, 24, passed out of the city’s College of Arts and Crafts only last year, but he already enjoys international acclaim as a watercolour artist. This simple, soft-spoken lad from Chakdaha village near Kolkata, is counted in the same league as the country’s renowned watercolour painters like Paresh Maity and Sanjay Bhattachariya. Last year, he sold a painting for a whopping 2.75 lakh. “Times have changed, you can make it big in the art world if you have talent, dedication and commitment. Your age does not matter if your work has depth and vision,” says the young artist.
Ananta belongs to the Gen Next of artists who know the dynamics of the market, experiment with new techniques, boast of a fresh vision and know that they are in demand. “Art galleries and buyers are now more open to young artists. The only thing is that your work should be original,” says Delhi-based painter Anita Singh, 24, whose solo exhibition will be held next month.
Says Varunika Saraf, 25, whose paintings were recently exhibited at New Delhi’s Visual arts Gallery, “While I keep track of the latest trends, I do not go by them as I don’t want to be typecast.”