They say that all it takes is a spark to start a wildfire. And if the initial response is any indicator, it will be a wildfire – a wildfire of creative outpouring, made eternal with ink. Sulekha ink to be precise.
On the 5th and 6th of April, Sulekha presented an exhibition called Inkheart by Freewings at the Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Golpark. As the name suggests, the event showcased works by fifteen artists giving vent to their creative urges using Sulekha inks as the medium of expression. Now, pen and ink as a medium may be as old as it gets, but this exhibition was unique for a variety of reasons – for one, the artists had used only Sulekha inks, and two, the way they had used different techniques to bring out the inner, often hidden, characteristics of the respective inks. What is remarkable is that the works were not commissioned. On the contrary, Sulekha joined the artists well after they had created their pieces and had planned the exhibition.
Mention must be made here of the encouragement received by both – the artists seeking a platform to showcase their art and the age-old Sulekha seeking to spread the cult of ink – by the Ramkrishna Mission authorities, especially Swami Abhayadananda, Monk In-Charge of the Museum and Art Gallery of the Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture (RMIC). He helped the organizers overcome the initial awe that they had about the dome of spirituality with his warmth, and with his quiet confidence which led the event towards fruition. With the blessings secured, the rest was a blur of happy memories to be cherished for a long, long time.
Swami Suparnanandaji, the Secretary Maharaj of RMIC lit the auspicious lamp amongst the chanting of sacred hymns. The two days that followed witnessed an unprecedented footfall as connoisseurs from far and wide visited the exhibition to fill their senses with the works on display. A remarkable feature was the presence of youngsters, especially students pursuing different art courses in the Mission who utilised the opportunity to interact with their peers, the artists. Several workshops and live demonstrations were organised as a part of the show for the benefit of those present.
Kaushik Maitra, the Managing Director of Sulekha the man behind the show said, “We are extremely happy with the response, which has been overwhelming to put things mildly. At Sulekha, it is our life’s mission to encourage youngsters to pick up the pen and ink – not only as a protest against the menace of plastic pollution and the digital damnation of their lives but also as a means to stoke their inner inventiveness, their creativity. As you are aware, Sulekha has been working with handwriting for a long time – Tapas Kumar Dey, a senior teacher and lettering expert, was here conducting workshops, and it is a matter of great happiness to us to invite the members of Freewings on board so that we may provide another cathartic outlet to our children.”
Abhijit Ghosh, the owner of another legacy ink brand Profile was also there. “I am simply overwhelmed by the way Sulekha has not only made a triumphant comeback but is now spearheading the move to popularise the use of fountain pens and inks. As a matter of fact, I am so impressed with Sulekha’s chart-blazing success that I have decided to relaunch the shellac-based drawing inks that we used to make many decades back if only to pay respect to my ancestors who had originally formulated the inks and to revive another Bengali brand from oblivion. I have brought samples of the inks and am encouraged by the response from the artists here. Profile and Sulekha were neighbours in Jadavpur. Our businesses were also made to suffer similar political repressions. Now if Sulekha can make it, can Profile be far behind? Just remember one thing – this is not about inks alone – it is also about cleaning the ink blotches from the reputation of Bengal! Sulekha and Profile are collaborating to take this effort to the next level.”
“This exhibition has been successful beyond our expectations,” said Sudipta Adhikari of Freewings. “The meticulous way in which Sulekha has organised the event, the unstinted support extended by the Ramkrishna Mission Institute of Culture, and the affection that has been showered upon us by the visitors, not to mention the excitement of the participating artists have touched our hearts. I take this opportunity to thank Kaushik Maitra of Sulekha for not only walking the talk, but also for remembering each one of us and honouring us with mementoes.”
For more information:
www.sulekhaink.co.in