28/12/2025
Shaping Bengal: A Chronicle of Modern Sculpture by Mrinal Ghosh
Shaping Bengal is the first comprehensive chronicle that documents and analyzes the evolution of modern sculpture in Bengal over the last 150 years. Authored by senior art critic and curator Mrinal Ghosh, the book traces the journey of sculptural practice in Bengal from the colonial era to the contemporary moment.
Beginning with pioneers like Ramkinkar Baij, Prodosh Dasgupta, Sankho Chaudhuri and Chintamoni Kar, the book moves through successive generations of sculptors—highlighting key figures such as Meera Mukherjee, Mrinalini Mukherjee, Somnath H**e, Ajit Chakravarty , Sushen Ghosh and a host of modern and post-modern artists like Asim Basu, Bimal Kundu, Akhil Das,Tapas Biswas, Sunil Kumar Das, and Subrata Biswas.
Blending critical scholarship, visual documentation, and curatorial insight, the book offers:
• Deep analysis of stylistic innovations, socio-political contexts, and material explorations
• Rare images of significant sculptures across six generations
• A lucid narrative connecting art history with broader cultural shifts in Bengal
This book is an essential reference for collectors, scholars, students, and curators, and marks a significant contribution to the documentation of Indian modernist sculpture—placing Bengal’s sculptural legacy in dialogue with both national and global modernities.