Odisha Painter Prafulla Mohanti’s Painting Finds Place In British Museum

Bhubaneswar: An internationally acclaimed painting of renowned Odisha painter Dr Prafulla Mohanti has found place in prestigious British Museum.

Mohanti’s painting ‘Kalika’ based on Tantrism was displayed during an exhibition organised by the museum authorities on tantric cult in November last year. The water colour painting on canvas has a frame having 23 inch width and 32 inch length. It was purchased by the museum authorities at a high price.

Mohanti said ‘Kalika’ is one of her favourite creations which he had painted in 1976. It has found display at various international exhibitions in different countries like USA, Japan and Europe. Besides National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi, Kendriya Lalit Kala Akademi, Leeds Art Gallery, Brighton Art Gallery, Sussex University and Kent University have exhibited the art piece at different times.

Mohanti belongs to Nanpur village under Badachana block of Jajpur district. He has settled in London for the last 61 years. But he makes it point to visit his village once in a year.

A well-known writer, Mohanti has authored ‘My Village, My Life’, ‘Indian Village Tense’, ‘Through Brown Eyes’ and ‘Changing Village, Changing Life’.

For Mohanti, village culture is major source of inspiration for his creative works. He learnt painting from his mother and loved to paint the walls of his house with rice flour in his childhood.