Untitled (Durga)

Manjit Bawa pared figuration to its most essential elements, giving primacy to line by evoking elements of Kalighat painting whilst simultaneously exploring the saturated and gem-toned hues of miniature painting. The artist's style was further inspired by his experience as a silk screen printer during the mid-1960s, focusing on broad color planes and uncluttered forms. Bawa's oeuvre demonstrates a preference for line and form over narrative, eliminating extraneous detail in favor of an ambiguous, horizon-less space. Inspired by Durga and the Lion, this iconic and monumental painting gathers the artist's vividly graded tonalities in service of a pristine, elegant simplicity rooted in tradition yet fantastically conceived.