Iris here is the symbol of stability, beauty and home.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
কনীনিকা পুষ্পক (KoniNika Pushpok): Iris Flower
This painting is dedicated to this special day in my life. The painting is mixed media, 24” x 24” canvas, a re-take of the original canvas lost to fire in Bronx, New York. Bittersweet emotions that are born in the endless waters of the sea, when one craves land… just a flower can change your life just then.
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Recreating a canvas lost to fire is an act of artistic resilience, and Ghosh executes this with profound vulnerability in KoniNika Pushpok. The choice of the iris as a anchor of stability amidst tempestuous, oceanic color fields reveals a masterful balance between loss and visual hope. The 24”x24” format feels tight, almost urgent, mirroring the emotional density of longing for land after endless waters.
ReplyDeleteLa résilience est au cœur de KoniNika Pushpok. Reconstruire une œuvre détruite par les flammes à New York demande une force créative singulière. Ghosh transforme cette douleur en une méditation visuelle poignante : cet iris émergeant des flous chromatiques symbolise le point d'ancrage ultime, la terre ferme retrouvée après la tempête.
ReplyDeleteDie Symbolik von KoniNika Pushpok ist tief bewegend. Nach dem Verlust der ursprünglichen Leinwand durch einen Brand in New York erschafft Ghosh nicht nur ein Bild neu, sondern verarbeitet darin ein Gefühl des Übergangs. Der Iris-Motive wirkt wie ein fester Ankerpunkt in einer stürmischen, abstrakten Farblandschaft, eine beeindruckende Synthese aus Erinnerung und Neubeginn.
ReplyDeleteHet hercreëren van een kunstwerk dat verloren is gegaan bij een brand vraagt om een bijzondere vorm van artistieke moed. In KoniNika Pushpok brengt Ghosh een prachtige gelaagdheid aan met gemengde technieken. De iris staat symbool voor rust en houvast in een roerige oceaan van emoties. Een krachtig en persoonlijk werk dat de kijker echt weet te raken.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant use of colours... a humble tribute...
ReplyDeleteColours
Let's talk in blue
a riverful of names
unwinding floodgates,
is breathing in you
scream, scream in green
a clockful of footsteps ticking rust,
is bleeding dropscenes
let's walk in grey
the autumn in your eyes
with rehearsed dreams
has outlived its stay;
the red earth craves
for a purple rain
as you sleepwalk in landslides
into the brown of your pain
hoping for a sunset
that has lost its orange
when known strokes of your brush
all seem too strange,
a yellow sky drizzles
faces in paper boats
as words froth in pink,
from the yearn in your throat
Your childhood knows there is a house of cards
where the rainbow grows overnight
ghosts of colours here share their kill
then play in black and white.
The painting is powerful … the iris provides a sense of stability within all the movement and colour around it.
ReplyDeleteKnowing that the original work was lost in a fire makes this version feel more meaningful.
It’s a reflection on memory, resilience and the idea of home.
Strangers passing in the street
ReplyDeleteBy chance two separate glances meet
And I am you and what I see is me
And do I take you by the hand
And lead you through the land
And help me understand the best I can
There is a striking tactile depth to Ghosh’s mixed media approach in this retake. The texture doesn't merely sit on the surface; it builds a sanctuary for the central motif. The iris acts as a beacon—an anchor in a sea of memory and loss. Moving past the tragic backstory of the Bronx fire, the piece stands entirely on its own visual language: expressive, introspective, and undeniably grounded.
ReplyDeleteIn Koni Nika Pushpok, Chirantan Ghosh affronta il dolore della perdita—il dipinto originale distrutto dall'incendio nel Bronx—trasformandolo in rinascita visiva. Il formato 24"x24" racchiude un contrasto emotivo vibrante: la delicatezza dell'iris simboleggia la stabilità e la casa, mentre lo sfondo materico evoca il mare aperto della memoria.
ReplyDeleteThe medium of choice here is critical. Mixed media allows CG to weave history, loss, and rebirth directly onto the square canvas. The iris functions not as a decorative floral element, but as an architectural pillar of emotion - anchoring the viewer in the middle of swirling, chromatic seas. As a curator, I would love to have it in our upcoming exhibition.
ReplyDeleteUne œuvre d'une grande sensibilité poétique. Ghosh utilise la technique mixte pour superposer les souvenirs et la matière. L'iris devient bien plus qu'une simple fleur; c'est un phare d'espoir et de stabilité dans une mer de nostalgie bittersweet. Un retravail d'une grande finesse formelle.
ReplyDeleteGhosh’s Bengali roots and global journey intersect seamlessly here. KoniNika Pushpok translates the literal 'flower of the eye/pupil' into a metaphysical lens. The vibrant iris petal structure feels like a bridge between the artist’s memory of the lost original and his current state of belonging. It is a quiet masterclass in emotional topography.
ReplyDeleteA Critical Appreciation of CG's Painting "Iris":
ReplyDeleteIn Iris, Chirantan transforms a familiar botanical subject into an evocative exploration of abstraction, movement, and material expression. Rather than pursuing the precision of traditional floral representation, the artist deconstructs the iris flower into a series of fluid, gestural forms that capture the essence of growth and organic vitality. The result is a work that exists between recognition and imagination, inviting viewers to experience the flower not as an object, but as an emotion and a process.
The square 24" × 24" format provides a balanced and intimate visual field. Within this contained space, abstract floral forms emerge and dissolve, creating a dynamic tension between structure and spontaneity. Ghosh's composition succeeds in preserving the rhythmic qualities of nature while liberating them from literal depiction. The painting feels alive, as though the forms are continuously unfolding beyond the boundaries of the canvas.
Color plays a central role in shaping the work's atmosphere. A rich blue ground dominates the composition, providing depth and serenity while evoking a dreamlike environment. Against this expansive backdrop, white accents illuminate the surface with subtle luminosity. The interplay between darkness and light creates a sense of emergence, allowing the floral elements to appear as if they are floating through an ethereal, aqueous space. The palette conveys both tranquility and mystery, encouraging prolonged contemplation.
Equally compelling is the painting's tactile quality. Ghosh employs a mixed-media approach that emphasizes pronounced brushwork and physical texture. The visible marks and energetic strokes become subjects in their own right, directing attention toward the act of painting itself. This emphasis shifts the viewer's focus from what is being depicted to how it is expressed. Layers of texture convey immediacy and authenticity, revealing the artist's engagement with gesture, movement, and materiality.
What distinguishes Iris is its ability to bridge the worlds of nature and abstraction. The flower serves not as a strict visual reference but as a catalyst for a broader investigation into color, texture, and motion. The painting celebrates the expressive potential of paint while retaining an emotional connection to the natural world. By resisting literal interpretation, Ghosh invites viewers to enter a more intuitive dialogue with the work, one shaped by sensation, memory, and personal reflection.
Final Assessment:
Iris is a thoughtful and atmospheric contemporary painting that demonstrates CG's sensitivity to both form and feeling. Through its immersive color palette, expressive surface, and abstracted floral imagery, the work transcends straightforward representation and becomes a meditation on transformation, movement, and the enduring vitality of nature. It is a visually engaging piece that rewards careful observation, revealing new layers of meaning through its rich interplay of color, texture, and gesture.
An independent brief critique:
ReplyDeleteWhat makes this work compelling is its duality; it is born out of trauma (the loss of the original canvas) yet radiates serenity.
Ghosh avoids melodrama, opting instead for a rich palette that captures the feeling of finding footing after a storm. The iris motif feels deliberate, offering a sense of sanctuary within abstract turbulence.
On a personal note, CG, hope you’re coming back to the big apple soon.