A master of lines and a mouthpiece for the marginalized, he creates bold forms with iconic imagery that brings forth the various colors of society. Having carved a niche for himself with his signature cross-hatching technique, Ashok Bhowmick creates an impact through his powerful portrayals of humans he has witnessed in his stellar journey of five decades and counting.
Born on 31st July in Nagpur of 1953, Ashok Bhowmick was inclined toward art from a young age. He graduated from Kanpur University in 1973 and has not looked back since. An avid reader of literature with a keen interest in politics, his artistic journey is a testament to the powerful synthesis of diverse influences and profound social consciousness.
Being a self-taught artist, he honed his visual language by observing popular publications, such as Illustrated Weekly and Reader’s Digest. He learned about space distribution, command over line and color, and compositions in a limited space. Over the decades, in his professional ascent, the political scenarios of his environment have fed his visual arrangements. The exaggerated forms and their angular anatomy subconsciously align with the agony and critical commentary on the ongoings of the state at the time of their conception. His intent remains to support and bring forth realities often ignored, questioning the authorities in the medium he speaks fluently in.
Having done his first one-man show in Kanpur in 1974, titled ‘Ashok-74’, he has exhibited in various galleries since, such as Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai, Admit One Art Gallery in New York, Embassy of India in Japan, Gallery One62 in Sydney, and his most recent exhibition in 2024 at Kala Srot Art Gallery, Lucknow, titled ‘Celebrating 50 Years’. He has participated in group shows in various art centers in India, Barcelona, Sydney, and New York as well. Being a writer himself, he has written a memoir titled, ‘Khoye Huey Logon Ka Shahar’ and has been a part of a book on Gulzar’s life and works titled, ‘Zero-line par Gulzar’, to name a few. He regularly writes in children’s magazines, including Cycle and Pluto, and writes a weekly column in Ravirang of Prabhat Khabar, a Hindi daily.