New Year’s Day was celebrated with vibrant works of art in Kolkata’s potter colony, Kumartuli. Poila Boishakh, or the Bengali New Year, was ushered in on April 15, which is also recognised as World Art Day. To mark the two occasions, the Rang Matir Panchali art carnival was held on April 14-15 in the locality where Durga Puja idols are created. The neighbourhood was decked up with installations, sculptures, murals, street art and photographs. Old buildings were given a fresh coat of paint . Brightly coloured taxis were a part of the carnival, too.

Sabyasachi Chatterjee, who runs Kolkata-based creative agency Creocraft, had approached the idol makers of Kumartuli with the idea for the carnival a month ago. The potters agreed, and the area’s three unions of idol makers came together for the festival.

Sushant Pal and Partha Dasgupta, known for their expertise in designing pandals, were mentors to the 30 artists (including three women) who worked on the exhibits. Three patients of the Pavlov Institute (of mental health) worked on the installations together with artisans Nabakumar Pal and Jiten Pal.

The atmosphere remained cheerful long after the festival wound up. The organisers plan to make the carnival an annual affair.

Jeet Sengupta is a Kolkata-based photographer

State of the art: An artisan of the potters’ community rests in front of a painted storefront

Meeting ground: Through the carnival, Kumartuli witnessed a dialogue between traditional idol-making and newer forms of art

Home turf: Potters’ workshops line Kumartuli

Creative block: Thirty artisans worked on the murals and installations

Touch up: Several buildings in this north Kolkata neighbourhood were painted anew

Value addition: An old building lined with art installations is surrounded by scaffolding wrapped in coloured fabric

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Faces of change: An installation of masks as part of the Kumartuli art carnival
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