What makes an artist professional? Is it the number of followers they have? Is it about everyone agreeing that they’re good? Or is it just about their talent? Can there be diamonds in the rough, thriving behind closed doors, hidden away from the public, simply waiting to be discovered?
This is what comes to mind when we consider the account of Maloy Manna. This artist currently has 51 followers on Instagram, which may not seem like much to some—but from where we’re sitting, he deserves some serious recognition.
Take a look a the painting above. Titled “Conversations in a Cafe”, it tells a story that only a masterfully painted canvas could do. From the gloomy dark bluish hue to the streak of sunlight emanating throughout the scene, we can practically smell the coffee and scones. We can hear the adjacent conversations, the non-chalantness of it all, and perhaps even a bout of spontaneous laughter.
This idea of things in art feeling natural and real—while at the same time being surreal in their own way—is what some of the best art in the world is all about. Regardless of followers, we tip our hat off to Manna for some great works that he’s already created.
