Rabin Mondal

Rabin Mondal was an Indian painter who was born in Howrah, a congested suburb of Kolkata, in 1929. He belonged to a prosperous business family that had a title of Raja. He developed a foot disorder at the age of 12, which confined him at home. His father bought him paintbrushes and colours to keep him occupied. He graduated in commerce from Calcutta University in 1952 and then studied art at the Indian College of Art and Draughtsmanship and the Asutosh Museum of Indian Art. He was deeply influenced by the social and political events of his time, such as the Bengal famine of 1943, the Indian independence movement, and the partition of Bengal. His paintings reflected his anguish and empathy for the people who suffered from poverty, violence, and oppression. He used dark colours, distorted forms, and expressionist techniques to create his unique style. He was a founding member of the Calcutta Painters group in 1964, along with seven other artists who wanted to break away from the academic traditions and explore new forms of expression. He participated in many exhibitions in India and abroad, but remained relatively unknown until retrospective shows of his work in Kolkata, New Delhi, and Mumbai brought him national recognition in 2005. He received several awards and honours for his contribution to Indian art, such as the Abanindranath Tagore Award in 2006 and the Lifetime Achievement Award by the West Bengal government in 2012. He married Bani Mitra, also an artist, in 1976 and moved to Salt Lake City in 1996. His wife died of cancer in 2000. He had no children. He died of cardiac arrest on July 2, 2019 at his residence in Bidhannagar.