New Delhi, Dec 27 (PTI) Niranjan Kouli's wish of having an art exhibition at Triveni Kala Sangam never fructified when he was alive. Now, two years after his demise, Kouli's family and admirers are fulfilling the late IRS officer's cherished desire.

"Canvases of Hope", the ongoing 10-day exhibition showcasing Kouli's artistic oeuvre at Triveni Kala Sangam's gallery, is a tribute to the man who was IRS officer by day and painter by night.

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"Post-dinner 8.30 pm was the time when Niranjan explored his passion for painting. The painting sessions would go on till late in the night.

"This all began in 2017, the year he started practising art at Triveni Kala Sangam under the guidance of senior artists Rameshwar Broota and Sanjay Roy. In fact, he had planned an art exhibition here before as well but then Covid-19 struck and he passed away in 2021, " Rina Sonowal, wife of the late artist, told PTI.

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Featuring as many as 12 art pieces, the exhibition conveys a sense of longing for a beguiling, promising world as Kouli brings to his art a sense of realism combined with metaphorical symbolism that engages the viewer with conversations -- be it about the country, the environment, urban dwellings, or various interpersonal relationships.

For instance, one of his paintings, where a man lies resigned and exhausted in a 'khatiya', while he is approached by a trio of three, graceful peacocks, is a testament to the hint of surrealism in his paintings, where the everyday and mundane blend with the sacred and symbolic.

"Kouli was extremely inspired by Renaissance painters and European painters, but was so different at the same time. These paintings should travel, probably to smaller towns, because in today's world we need to spread the idea of appreciating beauty," said actor Adil Hussain, who attended the exhibition on its inaugural day.

Among other paintings that drew the audience's attention was the one showing Mahatma Gandhi grasping a handful of salt after his long march to Dandi and behind him, in the background is the aerial map of India, with thousands of Gandhi's supporters receding into the landscape.

Kouli, the 1988-batch IRS officer, was last posted at Faridabad, Haryana as the Principal Commissioner of Income Tax. His art works have been part of several national and international exhibitions, including Bombay Art Society's 129th All India Annual Art Exhibition, 2021.

The exhibition will come to a close on January 2.

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