Biography

Sen Shombit's Gesturism Art has achieved international acclaim over the past decade, with exhibitions in Japan, Italy, Austria, France, Canada, and India. He has notably been featured in prestigious French Salons in Paris, including the Société Nationale des Beaux Arts, Salon d’Automne, and Salon des Art Capital.

Born in 1954 in a refugee camp in Calcutta, Sen's childhood was marked by a lack of basic amenities, yet his passion for art endured. At 19, armed with only $8 and some of his early paintings, he ventured to Paris, driven by a profound belief in his artistic destiny. Despite initial hardships, he found mentorship and inspiration among renowned painters, pursuing formal art education at esteemed institutions like the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts and Académie Julian Penninghen.

Sen's artistic journey has been profoundly influenced by Western European art movements, particularly French art since the 1870s. In 1994, he introduced Gesturism Art, a deeply personal pictorial narrative that transcends conventional boundaries, reflecting his quest to unveil the unseen yet essential aspects of existence. Today, he divides his time between India and France, continuously pushing the limits of artistic expression with his visionary approach.

A Previously Unreleased Style of Painting

Since 2010, Sen Shombit’s painting style has evolved to incorporate abstraction with hidden figures. Renowned French art critic Patrice de la Perrière has described his style as “Abstract with hidden figuratives (Abstrait cachant du figurative),” noting, “Sen’s paintings are encrypted. Viewers have to discover what is hidden inside.” Gallerist and curator Jean-Pierre de Faucigny-Lucinge adds, “Sen is a contemporary painter whose works possess a Western structure while his color application is unstructured, as seen in Indian society. This renders his style uniquely singular, ahead of its time and incomparable.”

Exposure of Art

In the past 12 years, Sen Shombit’s art has been exhibited in numerous countries, including the US, Canada, China, France, Italy, Austria, Japan, and India, in both solo and group exhibitions. He has been selected to showcase his works in prominent French Salons in Paris, such as the Société Nationale des Beaux Arts (established by King Louis XIV within the Carre de Louvre), Salon d’Automne, and Salon des Art Capital, among others.

European Art Influence

The advent of Modern Art in France in 1860 radically transformed fine art in Western Europe, shifting it from classicism to modernity. Sen’s outlook on art was reshaped by the French innovation of various art movements, including Impressionism, Cubism, and Surrealism. This structure influenced his artistic development, instilling in him the understanding that a coherent art style or movement is essential for an artist’s portfolio. It cultivates self-discipline, allowing the artist to create new subjects while maintaining a recognizable style and treatment that embodies their identity, even without a signature.

Early Life

Sen was born 50 km outside Calcutta in a refugee camp. In 1947, during India’s tumultuous Hindu-Muslim partition for independence from British colonial rule, his family became homeless, fleeing East Bengal. Living in a camp devoid of potable water, electricity, and sanitation, Sen’s dream of becoming an artist seemed unattainable. At age 12, he discovered the architectural beauty of French influence in Chandannagore, the erstwhile French territory across the Ganges River. This experience ignited a fascination with French culture and art that would shape his future.

Determined to pursue his artistic aspirations, he relentlessly sought admission to the Government College of Arts and Crafts (GCAC) in Kolkata, the first British art college in India since 1860. However, after three years, he grew impatient and left his studies to pursue his dream of experiencing art in France.