A very strict teacher by heart: Prof. Ramlal Dhor

When I entered the college Prof. Ramlal Dhar was the first teacher I met. He taught us for two years.
Students used to know him as a very strict person. But he has a true heart of an artist. He cant hide his emotion. He was a person who can express his unlikeliness without hiding it and can show his happiness like a child also. People find him a little unpredictable sometimes.
His ironic discipline pulled the best out of us. What we were really needed at the early stage of learning is technical things. He always
told us to focus on detailing and perfection.  Sometimes it was painful but it made our base stronger. It was hard to satisfy him.
A very few of us experienced a real soft part of him. I was again happy to be one of them. It was his care and affection that encouraged me. I remember all the nice time we had with him. In those two years whatever he taught me will be with me for lifetime.
He was a scholar and traveled around the world. It was a real pleasure to learn from a person like him. He was conscious about his success but never liked anyone to lower their head in front of him. May be this is the reason why he never liked the ritual of touching feet( Indians do it to show respect). He has to say ” you don’t need to touch my feet to show me respect, respect comes with the behaviour”. An unique person, an unique teacher, an unique soul. I miss him a lot. It is a upsetting news that he  passed away on 14 July 2010 late evening rfter suffering long time form Cancer. It is so very depressing  that I will not  hear his voice again, as he always did …..” Dipanwita, what are you up to ?”  What a pity!

• Year of Birth:1953

• EDUCATION

1968 – ’77, GOVT. college of Art & Craft, Calcutta.

1970 – ’77. Atelier of Atul Bose

1978 – ’80, Ecole Nationale des Arts Decoratifs de Nice (France)

1978 – ’84, Stayed in France as a Muralist Since 1985 teacher at the Govt. College of Art & Craft, Calcutta

• SOLO EXHIBITIONS: INDIA & ABROAD

1973 Shantiniketan, Guwahati

1979,’83 Nice

1980, Milan

1981,’84,’92,’99 Calcutta

1983 Cannes

1984, Marselles

1994,’96,’99 New Delhi

1999 Pondicherry

• SELECTED EXHIBITION PARTICIPATION

1973 Since ’73 All India Exhibition, Birla Academy, Calcutta

1978 Joint Show, Vicy (France)

1979 Exhibition with French Artists, Alliance Francaise de Calcutta

1979 Renowned French Artists, Nice, Shereton Hotel, Paris

1981,’82 Maison des jeunes et de la culture de Nice & B.N.P.

1983 8e Biennale of Mediterraneenne (France)

1983 Musee municipal saint paul de vence (France)

1985,’86,’87,’92,’94 National exhibition of Art, Lalit Kala Akademy

1988 “Young faces”, Birla Academy, Calcutta

1989 “Human Rights”, Artists of Bengal, Calcutta

1990 Third Bharat Bhavan Biennial

“Mosaic” – Calcutta, Delhi, Bombay

300 years of Calcutta, Birla Academy

Bengal Art Today Jehangir Gallery & Hyderabad

1991 “Artists against Communalism – Images & Words”, Delhi

1992 Silver Jubliee Exhibition, Birla Academy, Calcutta

“souvenirs D’en france Embassy, New Delhi

1993 Joint show with Sohini Dhar, Sarala’s Arts centre, Madras

1994 Bharat-Bhavan, Bhopal

1995 Indian Contemporary Art, Tokyo; Aurodhan Show, N.Delhi

1996 Group show, Jehangir Art Gallery & Birla Academy, Mumbai

1997 Charukala utsav, Calcutta; Landscape show, The gallery Madras

1998 Gallerie la mere Calcutta

1999 “Art for the Spastics”, Auction at Chennai; Benson & Hedges show at Shakshi Gallery & Gallerie ’88

• EXHIBITIONS

1978 Vichy, Centre Valery Larbaud

1981 Nice, Maison des jeunes et la Culture (Magnon)

1983 Musee municipal St. Paul de Vence (with David Fu)

1982 Nice, B.N.P. Boulevard Victor Hugo (with David Fu)

1983 Be Biennale of Mediterranean (France)

Numerous Exhibitions in India and Abroad.

• COMMISSIONS & COLLECTIONS

Frescoes and Murals on the premises of the Govt. College of Art & Culture, Calcutta Mosaic for the entry hall of the post & telegraphs; building on avenue de la californie Nice. Mural paintings for Centre des Oeuvres Universitaires et Scolaires, IS Avenue des Fleurs, in Nice.

Murals in the foyer of University hostel “Jean Medecin” in Nice. Mosaic on the surrounding wall of the humanities department, Nice University Mural painting in the cafetaria at the University restaurant of Toulon. Mural painting at Maison des jeunes et De la Culture de Nice (Magnon). Mosaic & Mural painting for Mr & Mrs Brincat, quartier de rimiez Nice. Mosaic & Mural painting for Mr & Mrs Bouchet at VilleneuveLoubet Ceramics & Mosaic for Mr & Mrs Rosso at Mougins. High Court, Cavilam (Vichy) Rennault Cannes Succursale Sarala’s Art International, Madras And in many private collections in. India and Abroad.

• MURALS : INDIA & FRANCE

Frescoes, Mosaics & Mural Painting at Public and Private Building at Calcutta, bakreswar, Rourkella in India and Nice, Toulon, Villeneuve – louvet, mougins in France.

• ARTIST CAMP / WORKSHOP / SEMINAR

1971 Workshop at American University Centre

1978 Max Muller Bhavan, Calcutta

1989 Bharat Banga Saahitya sammelan, Silchar

1990 “A mo of Arts”, Alliance Francalse, de Calcutta & Regional Seminar on Art, Rashtriya Lalit Kala Kendra.

1991 All India Artist Camp Gwalior

1992 “Confluence”, Indo – French Artists camp Calcutta

1993 West Bengal Artists camp, Information centre, Calcutta & workshop on conservation & preservation, Birla Academy Calcutta ceramic mural camp, Lalit kala Kendra, Calcutta

1994 Workshop on conservation & preservation, Birla Academy, Calcutta

1995 UGC workshop, Santiniketan

1996 Artists camp Varanasi

1997 Indo- Bangladesh camp, Calcutta

1998 All India Artists camp, TATA STEEL, Jamshedpur

• AWARDS

1968 -’73 Assam Govt. Scholarship

1971 -’74 Art College Award

1975 -’77 National cultural scholarship in mural painting under Sri Ganesh Halor

1977 Oriental society of Art, Calcutta

1978-80 French Government Scholarship in Mural & Mosaic under Prof, Baudiniere

1980 Best prize for a poster (Lions club), France.

• MEDIA EXPRESSION FRANCE & INDIA

Documentary film by French Television

Documentary film by prof. Yaves Charney (France)

Several Interviews in Radio France on art

Several Interviews in All India Radio & Doordarshan Kendra, Calcutta

• COLLECTION

National Gallery of Modern Art, Lalit Kala Academy, Delhi College of Art, Calcutta High Court, Cavilam (Vichy); Renault cannes succeursale, Tata Steel, Benson & Hedges, Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal, SCZC Centre, Calcutta Information Centre and many private collections in India & Abroad.

• TRAVELS

Extensive travel in Europe, U.S.A & Mexico.

• See Sohini & Ramlal Dhar’s beautiful home ( “Inside Outside” magazine, 2003)

Tags: Life Long Learning