Indian art forays abroad: Flashback 2009 – part III

Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, Oslo, Norway hosted a timely presentation of the pioneering work by leading artists from India today, embracing art, architecture, literature, film, and dance. ‘Indian Highway’ featured leading artists from the country. It pioneered a radical model of curating, as curators are invited to develop a ‘show within a show’ inside the main exhibition.

The Venice Art Biennale is among the world’s greatest platforms for contemporary art. Four artists from India featured at the event - Sheela Gowda, Nikhil Chopra and Sunil Gawde at the Arsenale, an erstwhile naval depot, whereas Anju Dodiya's at the Giardini. They all formed part of the large exhibit titled 'Making Worlds' at the 2009 Biennale.

An ambitious exhibit of Indian art in Abu Dhabi, entitled ‘Spectrum’ gave a comprehensive idea of its evolution over the last five decades. The show traced trends and movements, right from the Progressives to the moderns, extending to contemporary artists. It incorporated over 100 works, encompassing canvas as well as new media. Pheroza Godrej and Sarayu Doshi curated the exhibition organized in association with the Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH).

Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) in association with Seven Art Limited, ICIA (Institute of Contemporary Indian Art) and ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations) unveiled a grand show of Indian contemporary art. Entitled ‘India Xianzai’ (India Now), it showcased probably one of the largest ever collections from the country displayed in China.

The exhibition was based on the premise that India’s rich culture and history has inspired artists, not only within India, but also those residing abroad. In a way, ‘India Xianzai’ was an examination of various processes, narrative structures and aesthetic strategies focusing on the question of culture as an agency in artistic expression. Importantly, this was not just any exhibit but a museum show.