David Malaker

(b. 1992, Kolkata, West Bengal)

My paintings explore night scenes and the enigma of darkness illuminated by yellow lamps. Working mainly with charcoal and pastel on paper, I depict nocturnal sights mixed with imagination and fantasy. The myriad appearances of the world in darkness reveal stories and meanings in my paintings, offering a deeper understanding of contemporary times. In my nightly visions, Calcutta emerges as a city grappling with rapid urbanisation, often narrated through nocturnal creatures like a black cat observing the evolving city, its habitat lost to time. This gentrification affects both cities and emotions, creating a homogenising, deadening, whitening effect that captures a moment of psychological flux and change. The city reveals itself as a set of cells, a hundred thousand windows, some darkened and others flooded with green, white, or golden light. Inside, strangers move to and fro, attending to their private lives, visible yet unreachable, conveying a tremor of loneliness and an uneasy combination of separation and exposure. During my post-graduation in Banaras, I realised how to read the city differently and understand the cultural significance of its surroundings today. The true scenes behind Varanasi's temples reveal a critical cultural reality—a life that is free. It's a place where one can enjoy the fullest pleasures, renowned as a place for both 'living' and 'dying.' Thus, it is timeless and eternal.

David Malaker completed his BFA from Government College of Art and Craft, Kolkata (2016) and MFA from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (2018). He works primarily with charcoal and crayon on paper, portraying nocturnal scenes infused with imagination and fantasy. His works explore the myriad appearances of the world in darkness, offering deeper insights into contemporary times.

His works depict Kolkata's rapid urbanisation through nocturnal creatures observing the changing landscape. In Varanasi, he uncovers cultural depths and timeless realities behind its temples, highlighting vibrant life and inevitable mortality. His paintings evoke psychological flux, reflecting on urban transformation and emotional gentrification amidst the bustling solitude of city nights. David has received several awards and scholarships, including the Jogen Chowdhury Centre for Art Scholarship, Kolkata (2022); National Award by Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi (2020), the Birla Academy Award, Kolkata (2017), the Rajya Charukala Award, Government of West Bengal (2017 and 2022), Prafulla Dahanukar Art Foundation, Bronze Medal, East Zone (2018), among others. His exhibitions include ‘Murta/Amurta’, Akar Prakar, Kolkata (2023); ‘Metaphoric identity’, Gandhara Art Gallery, Kolkata (2023); ‘Aroh’, Emami Art (2020); 61st National Exhibition, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi (2020), among others.

David currently lives and works in Kolkata.

David Malaker

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