Flashback 2009 – part I

A series of international exhibitions in the year gone by were a testimony to the rising stature contemporary Indian art We review the major exhibitions and celebrate its march forward in the global arena.

Phillips de Pury & Company hosted the ambitious show, ‘The Audience and the Eavesdropper’, in New York at the start of the year 2009. A selection of works by each participating artist conveyed the strength and breadth of their individual oeuvre, whereas they collectively depicted a complex portrait of the themes and trends as reflected in contemporary Indian Art. Works by Anita Dube, Thukral & Tagra, Justin Ponmany, Samarendra Raj Singh, Raqs Media Collective, Hema Upadhyay, Rashid Rana, Sheba Chhachhi, Probir Gupta and Hamra Abbas were showcased.

The 2009 edition of London Art Fair, the UK’s largest Modern British and contemporary art fair, included artists from India like Dhruva Mistry, George Martin, Sumedh Rajendran, Rajesh Ram and Chintan Upadhyay, represented by the London based Grosvenor Gallery. The works on view were a testimony to each individual artist’s unique way of working, reflecting the dynamic, diverse virtues of Indian contemporary art.

In its endeavor to lend attention to emerging markets, ARCO Madrid focused on India. Panorama: India at ARCO Madrid proved to be the perfect platform for promoting the best of contemporary art from the country to international audiences. Renowned artist-curator Bose Krishnamachari offered a fascinating overview of contemporary Indian art.

The milestone art project, ‘Chalo! India’, examined how the artists use their insight and observation power to quiz the reality, taking their themes from ubiquitous objects, social interaction and day-to-day life. It mapped out a diverse and dynamic contemporary art scene of India in the context of its current complexities.

One of the largest showcases of contemporary art from India ever held in Japan, the 5th anniversary exhibition of Mori Art Museum was projected as a significant survey of contemporary Indian art that looked to unveil a new era of Indian art with it.