Shyamal Mukherjee is one of those cheerful artists from Kolkata who radiates happiness and goodness in his life, which finds a voice in his adorable works, the inspiration of which comes from observing everyday people. What better way to create this joi de vivre than through art that is joyous, colourful, in the durable medium of reverse oil, or acrylic painting on transparent acrylic sheet. The entire concept of these plump, grotesquely rotund characters with rosy, over-sized cheeks makes one smile. Most of the people Mukherjee paints are performers of some type, putting on an act for everyone else - something all of us do every day of our lives. These figures are dressed in gaudy shades of orange, red and green costumes that street performers wear, their faces cartoon like and their plump fingers overshadowed by rings and bracelets. Bengal School’s strong figurative tradition is presented in a very contemporary idiom, highlighting the spirit common to all of us.