A printmaker, painter and sculptor, Somnath Hore’s works are a reflection of his sensitivity and empathy towards his subjects. Beginning his practice during some of the hardest social and political time in the country like the Bengal famine and the pre-independence struggle, Hore’s sketches were the visual representation of his first-hand experience. In his life, his association with the Communist Party and his personal political beliefs deeply influenced his imagery.

Experimenting with forms and techniques, especially in his printmaking, he was able to invent his own technique known as the white on white pulp prints and popularly referred to as the ‘Wounds’ series. In his practice, the swift strokes of his ink & brushwork, the minimalist representations of his woodcuts, the hollow core of his bronze sculptures or the striking textures of the wounds series became the signature styles of his artistic language. 

Though for Somnath, his ideologies and beliefs never came in the way of his artmaking. When the limitations placed by the Communist Party became too restrictive, he resigned from his post in the party and moved to Delhi in the 1960s to teach printmaking at the Delhi Polytechnic. During those years, his practice became widely recognized in the art world and he received several awards like the Lalit Kala Akademi Award his works were a part of international exhibitions like the Venice Biennale, and the Sao Paolo Biennale.

Eventually, when the disconnected nature of the art world in Delhi became too stifling he resigned from his post and moved to Santiniketan. For Hore, it was this change that helped him re-establish his love for the arts. He was awarded the Emeritus professorship at Kala Bhavan, Santiniketan in 1983. The isolation and the artistically fertile atmosphere of the city became the reason behind Somnath making it his home till the very end. Dedicating more than six decades of his life to his art, Hore passed away in the year 2006. His art, transcending the times still resonates with the audience and cemented his place as one of the master artists of Indian Art.