Ramkinkar Baij facts for kids

Ramkinkar Baij (Bengali: রামকিঙ্কর বৈজ) (25 May 1906 – 2 August 1980) was an Indian sculptor and painter. He was one of the first artists to create modern Indian sculptures. He was also a key figure in a style called Contextual Modernism.

Early Life and Art Journey

Ramkinkar Baij was born into a family that didn't have much money. This was in the Bankura area of West Bengal, India. He was Bengali, not from an Adivasi (tribal) group, as some people thought. His family name was Poramanik, but he changed it in 1925. However, many of his artworks were inspired by the lives of rural dalit or Adivasi (like the Santhal) communities. These groups lived near where he worked in Santiniketan.

When Ramkinkar was a teenager, he painted pictures of Indian freedom fighters. These fighters were part of the Non-Cooperation Movement against the British rulers of India. When he was 16, a famous journalist named Ramananda Chatterjee noticed his talent.

Four years later, Ramkinkar joined the Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan. He studied fine arts there. After finishing his studies, he became the head of the sculpture department. Some of his well-known students included Prabhas Sen and Shankho Chowdhury.

His Life and Famous Works

Professor R. Siva Kumar, an expert on the Santiniketan School of Art, wrote about Ramkinkar Baij. He said Ramkinkar was born in 1906 in Bankura, West Bengal. His family had little money or social standing. But he became one of the most important early modern artists in India.

As a young boy, he watched local craftspeople and image-makers. He made small clay figures and paintings with whatever he could find. His great talent caught the eye of local people, especially those involved in the nationalist movement. In 1925, Ramananda Chatterjee advised him to go to Kala Bhavana. This was the art school at Santiniketan.

At Santiniketan, he learned from Nandalal Bose. The free-thinking environment, shaped by Rabindranath Tagore, helped his art skills grow. Soon after studying, he became a teacher there. With Nandalal and Benode Behari Mukherjee, he helped make Santiniketan a top place for modern art in India before it became independent.

Santiniketan was a place for new art ideas, not just for teaching. Ramkinkar used this chance to create huge public sculptures. He started doing this in the early 1930s. He filled the campus with sculptures, one after another. These artworks had new subjects and a unique style.

His first big work in this style was the Santal Family, made in 1938. In this larger-than-life sculpture, he showed tribal farmers from the area. He made them look important and graceful. This was usually only done for gods or rulers. This was a big change in India. Public art was usually made only when the government asked for it. It also had to fit the tastes of old-fashioned leaders.

Ramkinkar used cement and laterite mortar to shape his figures. He mixed modern Western and old Indian sculpture styles. This was also very new. With this important work, Ramkinkar became a truly modern Indian sculptor.

Ramkinkar was a quiet person who focused only on his art and helping people. But his work was still noticed by artists and art lovers. Even though his art was overlooked for a while, it slowly gained attention in India and worldwide. He was asked to show his work in Paris in 1950 and 1951. In the 1970s, he started receiving national awards. In 1970, the Indian government gave him the Padma Bhushan.

Yaksha-Yakshi at Reserve Bank of India

After India became independent, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru suggested using large public buildings to show Indian art. He wanted sculptors, painters, and designers to help. A committee was formed to choose artists.

The committee suggested putting sculptures on both sides of the main entrance of the RBI office in New Delhi. One sculpture would show "prosperity through industry." The other would show "prosperity through agriculture." J. R. D. Tata, a director of the bank, asked for advice. Carl Khandalawalla suggested using figures of "Yaksha" and "Yakshini." Nine artists were asked to submit their ideas.

Five artists sent their proposals. Only one artist sent models and sketches. This was Shri Ram Kinkar Baij. His idea was chosen. The male 'Yaksha' sculpture was based on an old statue called 'Parkham Yaksha' from the Mathura Museum. The 'Yakshini' was based on the "Bisnagar Yakshini" from the Calcutta Museum.

Ramkinkar Baij said: "That must have been 1954. I don’t remember it correctly. I received a letter to send a model for a sculpture to be placed at the Reserve Bank. Off I sent a three-foot maquette."

"The first task was to search for the stone. I went out searching. We found it in Kangra valley’s Baijnath, on the way to Kullu. Sandstone – Shivalik sandstone. Quite to my liking."

In Somendranath Bandyopadhyay's book 'My days with Ramkinkar Baij', Ramkinkar also said: "You might have noticed that I’ve placed a discus in my sculpture’s hand. That was my idea. Addition. It’s a modern-day machine and is symbolic of industry. I got the idea for the flower and paddy cluster in Yakshi’s hand from the old statues."

He added: "You know what Yaksha held in the ancient statues? A mallet. And a bag in the left hand. I have placed that too. Money bag. My Yaksha is completely modern – with a machine and a money bag. And is it possible to have the money bag and not have a fat belly? Yakshas do have protruding bellies, my dear. You must have seen ancient Yaksha statues. My Yaksha has it too."

His Lasting Impact

Ritwik Ghatak made a documentary about Baij called 'Ramkinkar' (1975). In the film, he showed Baij as a brave artist. Baij himself explained his fearless views in the documentary. A publisher in Calcutta has an English book about Ramkinkar called 'self-portrait'.

In 2012, the sculptor K.S. Radhakrishnan organized a big show of Ramkinkar's work. It was held at the National Gallery of Modern Art in Delhi. A detailed book about the artist, Ramkinkar Baij (book), by Professor R. Siva Kumar, was released at this event. This book is thought to be the most complete one about Ramkinkar Baij. In 2013, R. Siva Kumar won an award for this book.

On January 24, 2013, the first Ramkinkar Baij Memorial Lecture was given. It was delivered by one of Ramkinkar's favorite students, the famous artist K. G. Subramanyan.

Ramkinkar Baij in Media

• Ramkinkar Baij (1975) is a documentary by Ritwik Ghatak. It was not finished because Ritwik Ghatak passed away.
• Samaresh Basu's unfinished novel Dekhi Nai Phire (I did not look back) is based on Ramkinkar's life. The author died before finishing it.
• Asur (2020) is a Bengali movie starring Jeet, Abir Chatterjee and Nusrat Jahan. It was directed by Pavel. This movie is a small tribute to Ramkinkar Baij.

Images for kids

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  A statue of Buddha by Ram Kinker Baij at Shantiniketan campus.

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  An artwork by Ramkinkar Baij.

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  The Santal Family sculpture made in 1938, Santiniketan.

See also

In Spanish: Ram Kinker Baij para niños