The Open Studio / Asmita Das
Asmita Das
The Frenzy of the Flames.
One dark line runs through the fire and will not stop
Green smoke gathers at the edges of the paper.
In the centre orange and red push up like heat from a stove.
A dark line runs and runs. It loops back and will not stop.
Small yellow tongues lean out from the knot.
Two violet drops sit cool near the bottom.
The paper is soft and creased like cloth left out in the rain.
The work
Asmita Das paints this small work in watercolour on Nepali handmade paper. Her college is The Indian College of Arts and Draftsmanship in Kolkata. Das often uses the wash technique because it calms her. This painting belongs to another group. In these works she uses materials to show how she feels in that moment. She says, "I want materials themselves to become part of the feeling of the work." Here colour spreads into the soft paper. Dark lines loop over reds and yellows.
In the artist’s words
“I use materials to express how I feel at that moment. You will see this in paintings such as 'The Frenzy of the Flames'. I want the materials themselves to become part of the feeling of the work. Sometimes the spreading of the colours first feels like losing the battle. Later it becomes my biggest power.”
- Theme
- Feeling held in fire
- Material
- Watercolour on Nepali handmade paper
- Size
- 14.5 × 10.5 × 0.01 cm
- Year
- 2025
- Edition
- 1
- Framed
- Yes
- About the artist
- The Indian College of Arts and Draftsmanship
- From
- Kolkata
- Code
- RC-701
