Soma Das is a contemporary Indian painter based in Kolkata. A graduate of Rabindra Bharati University, she explores in her paintings the everyday life of ordinary workers, mostly housemaids from low-income suburbs, seen from a unique womanly perspective.
Born into a conservative, lower-middle-class family, she spent most of her time with women members of the family. Her childhood experiences later contribute to shaping her worldview as an artist. Although her paintings speak of the life of ordinary people, she is inspired by the courtly traditions of miniature paintings in our country. The use of aerial view, multiple perspectives, realistic detailing, ornamentation and vibrant colours show how deeply she has studied miniature paintings and also her remarkable inventiveness in using them to create a unique, easily recognisable personal style. Besides exploring the domestic spaces – the series of drawings and paintings she did during the Covid-19-induced lockdowns make up a significant part of her artistic oeuvre –there are significant paintings about homosocial spaces, such as the lady’s compartment in the train and bathing steps at a pond.
A keen observer, she carefully studies the gestures and appearances of ordinary men, women and children, as well as their emotions, dreams and desires. Indeed, a tragic poetic mood unites her extensive body of work. But, instead of magnifying it, she places it in the mundane context of everyday life, making us aware of the life of the ordinary, both exclusive and integral to the life we live.