Art speaks in many ways. The visual manifestation of its dialogue potential is our main concern,” says Prof. Kamalaksha Gangopadhyay, principal of the Government College of Art & Craft (GCAC), Calcutta. The college has planned its courses to meet these concerns. “Even though we believe that artists are born, not made, we think it is necessary to teach the basic methods at the undergraduate level to develop craftsmanship and skills. Our courses at the masters level emphasise inspiration. The aim is to enable artists to be thinkers at the global and all-India levels,” says Gangopadhyay.

The college was established in 1854 as a private institute to teach industrial art. It was converted into the Government School of Art in 1864 when it was handed over to the British government. It once had as its vice-principal the father of modern Indian painting, Abanindranath Tagore. In 1951, the school became a college and was renamed Government College of Art & Craft.

The bachelors programme in visual art (BVA) that is affiliated to the University of Calcutta was introduced in 1983. It became a four-year professional degree course in 2003. The masters of visual art programme (MVA) was introduced in 1998 and a PhD programme was started in 2005. The college is not affiliated to the University Grants Commission (UGC) but since 2003, it has been modifying its curriculum to suit UGC rules.

Back to roots

“The gharana of the college is unique,” says Gangopadhyay. When GCAC was founded, its curriculum was similar to that of the Royal College of Art, London. But it has been successful in carving its own independent identity over the years. Ernest Binfield Havell and Abanindranath Tagore sought to redefine the curriculum at GCAC in the early twentieth century. Students developed a style that didn’t pretend that Indian traditions hadn’t existed before European colonisation. Many famous artists like Jamini Roy, Ganesh Pyne, Ganesh Halui and Jogen Chowdhury graduated from GCAC, which still caters to each student’s needs in the manner of the guru-shishya parampara.

Subrato Gangopadhyay, a prominent painter and alumnus, says, “I was very lucky to have been taught by artists like Bikash Bhattacharjee. The ‘strong hand’ that the college builds helps students to experiment later.” A recent graduate and junior lecturer of graphic designing, Wigan & Leigh College, Calcutta, Arnab Mukherjee, says, “What I enjoyed most was the freedom to work without time constraints. I didn’t face any corporatisation.”

Those who seek admission to the BVA programme, which has 70 seats, must have passed Plus Two or its equivalent and must be 23 years old or below on July 1 of the year of admission. Those who wish to enrol for the MVA programme, which has 40 seats, must have a BVA degree from a recognised university. The 32 full-time and part-time faculty members include eminent artists like Ramlal Dhar, Dipali Bhattacharya and Gopinath Roy. Scholarships and prizes are awarded to meritorious and needy students.

Promising future

The college has an excellent gallery and library. A grant from the government of West Bengal is being used to modernise the facilities. An annexe building has been constructed and the heritage building on campus has been renovated.

While some artists who studied at the college make a living by displaying their work at gallery shows, graduates have also found jobs in animation, film and advertising, and private and public firms that have graphics and art designing departments. Computers didn’t quite harm artists or their art, claims Gangopadhyay, who displayed his work at Calcutta’s first digital art show in 1993. “Computers are indispensable tools that enable artists to communicate with a wider audience,” he says.

The sales of contemporary Indian art at auction houses such as Sotheby’s and Christie’s and art shows around the world go to show that Indian artists will be hard to ignore. And GCAC can surely take credit for some of the most successful ones.

Satarupa Sengupta

Vital Statistics

WHAT IS IT? A college that offers courses in visual art under the University of Calcutta.

WHO’S THE BOSS? Prof. Kamalaksha Gangopadhyay is the principal.

WHat degrees are offered? Bachelors of visual art (BVA), masters of visual art (MVA) and PhD in visual art.

WHen did GCAC become a college? In 1951.

Names of some famous alumni: Jamini Roy, Ganesh Pyne, Ganesh Halui and Jogen Chowdhury.

WHere is it located? 28 Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Calcutta-700016. Telephone: 22861627

OLD MEMORIES

Ganesh Halui, a distinguished painter, recalls his college days

I joined the college in 1951. At that time, new teachers were being recruited as the Government School of Art had just become a college. Ganesh Pyne and Jogen Chowdhury were my juniors in college.

GCAC is not for those who think art is leisure. We had to work really hard. Both theoretical and practical knowledge are essential. An art teacher’s job is to teach methods and to draw out a student’s talent. Our teachers were successful in doing that.

As told to Satarupa Sengupta