Fish Market Turns into Art Gallery: A Unique Fusion of Commerce and Creativity
A 300-year-old fish market in Kalibabur Bazar, West Bengal, Howrah, recently transformed into a cultural hub as Kolkata-based postmodernist artist Hiran Mitra displayed 31 new paintings amidst the hustle and bustle of fish buying and selling. The initiative, part of the ‘Art in Every One’ campaign by Howrah Jonaki, aimed to bring art to the masses in unconventional settings.
An Artistic Encounter Amidst Fish Buying
From July 9 to July 11, buyers and sellers at the market were treated to a visual feast as Mr. Mitra’s vibrant artworks adorned the walls, adding a splash of color to the traditional fish market setting. The display, complemented by live performances in the evenings, offered a unique blend of commerce and creativity to the visitors.
Merging Performance Art with Traditional Paintings
Born in 1945, Hiran Mitra graduated from Kolkata’s Government College of Arts and Crafts, carving a niche for himself by infusing elements of performance art into his paintings. This innovative approach set the stage for a captivating exhibition, the second edition of the ‘Art in Every One’ initiative at the Kalibabur Bazar fish market.
Biswajit Das, the creative director of Howrah Jonaki, expressed the artist’s desire to break free from traditional gallery spaces and engage with the public in a more approachable manner. The response from the market visitors was diverse, with some curious, others appreciative, and a few indifferent to the artistic display.
Art Enlivens the Marketplace
Mr. Das highlighted the impact of the initiative on the daily visitors to the market, emphasizing the importance of mindful engagement with one’s surroundings. The art showcase not only delighted the fish vendors but also inspired one vendor, Bulu, to explore painting as a newfound hobby.
While the fish market witnesses its peak footfall in the mornings with the hustle of buying and selling, the evenings turned into a cultural spectacle with theater performances, dance acts, musical presentations, and poetic recitations. Howrah Jonaki’s rendition of the Athenian tragedy ‘Antigone’ on July 10 added a theatrical flair to the bustling marketplace.
Empowering Through Art
Sukumar Mondol, a 52-year-old fish vendor with three decades of experience at Kalibabur Bazar, expressed his gratitude for Mr. Mitra’s decision to showcase his artwork in the market. Despite some initial skepticism from buyers, Mr. Mondol believed that artists could draw inspiration from unexpected places, even in the midst of a seemingly chaotic fish market.
Arabinda Bandopadhyay, the descendant of the market’s founder, Kali Banerjee, praised the initiative as a way to bring art to the masses, emphasizing the market’s significance as a renowned trading hub in the state. The fusion of commerce and creativity not only added vibrancy to the market but also encouraged a deeper connection with the arts among the local community.
Conclusion: Where Art Meets Commerce
The marriage of art and commerce at the historic fish market in Howrah’s Kalibabur Bazar showcased the transformative power of creativity in unconventional spaces. Through Mr. Mitra’s paintings and the cultural performances, visitors were not only able to experience art in a new light but also witness the symbiotic relationship between tradition and innovation.