ABOUT THE ARTIST
Sankho Chowdhury was one of the formative influences ni the changing horizon of modern Indion
sculpture.
Under the tutelage of Ramkinkar Boil, at Kola Bhavan Santiniketan, Chowdhury’s experiment with
material and process paved an unending scope of introducing unconventional mediums ni to the field,
which from nineteenth century onwards, was dominated by western classical modelling methods.
He rigorously experimented with cement, wood, metal, plaster, stucco, welding, aluminium sheets etc,.
indicating the turn oftime and industry, remarkably expanding the material orientation of modern Indian
sculpture. Chowdhury wos born on 1916, in the Santhal Pargana of Bihar. His engagement with tribal
forms and material culture was predominant ni his works. He completed his diplomo in sculpture in
1945 and then traveled ot Nepal with Ramkinkar Bai ot assist him ot build a war memorial.In 1949,he
traveled the length and breodth of Europe and exposed himself to various schools of art. But he didn’t
Sankho Chowdhury was also a
prolific bureaucrat when it came to
spearheading multiple art institutions
of India. He was invited to take charge
of the sculpture department of M S
University in Baroda, where he joined
as a reader and head of the department
in 1949. In about seventeen years,
he supervised the Faculty of Fine Arts
as its Dean. Along with various other
responsible membership positions in
various organisations like, Delhi Urban
Commission, All India Handicrafts
Board, 5th India Triennale, India
Sculptor’s Association, he also took
charge of Lalit Kala Akademi, New
Delhi and created Garhi Artists’ Studio
in 1976
