Behala Notun Sangha, the event’s founding partner, and renowned artist Sanatan Dinda, its convener, are preparing for the fourth installment of the Behala Art Fest, which will take place from February 3–5, 2023, from 2–10 p.m. at the 14 No Bus Stand in Behala, Kolkata. The scene is set for this edition, which addresses the fundamental idea of “Unbound,” which refers to people’s insatiable desire for mukti, or emancipation from multiple levels of economic, social, and political enslavement. About 18 participating artists were inspired by the theme to rethink the notion with the greatest degree of flexibility and to translate it into a visual form as site-specific art pieces, moving beyond the standard mediums.

Installation arts are displayed through wall paintings, graffiti, and temporary buildings throughout the neighborhood.

Being one of the biggest public art festivals on the subcontinent, this event welcomes the general public by including everyone, making art available for consumption, and integrating art with everyday life in addition to placing works of art in public areas and various nooks and crannies of the neighborhood.

Behala Art Fest 2023 now has global scope because of the addition of artists from Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Vietnam this year.

This year’s Behala Art Fest honors the director, Ritwik Ghatak, while Mrinal Sen is commemorated for his remarkable contributions to the social cause of art on the walls of one of the lanes to commemorate his centennial year.

Two renowned artist-teachers Prof Samindranath Majumdar (Kolkata) and Prof. Debraj Goswami (Baroda) are curating this fest as Moderators while Prof Soumik Nandy Majumdar (Santiniketan) is the Conferee of this edition.

Head to Behala Art Fest 2023 and explore the different facets of mukti.

Priyanka Dutta