‘Narrations, Quotations and Commentaries’ at Grosvenor Gallery, London

The history of narrative painting in India can be traced back several decades in the 20th century, comprising noteworthy artists, such as Abanindranath Tagore, Benode Behari Mukherjee and even Amrita Sher-Gil. This style more recently has been identified with the Baroda School co-founded by Gulam Mohammed Sheikh and Bhupen Khakhar. Sudhir Patwardhan was associated with this School, too.

The artists belonging to Baroda School worked in direct contrast to the PAG - a generation of artists who emerged before them. The Progressives employed symbolic as well as iconic imagery for depicting archetypal subjects or tended to veer towards abstraction. Their effort was to depict history – both personal and contemporary - within a narrative format.

Among the artists who feature in ‘Narrations, Quotations and Commentaries’, a show at London's Grosvenor Gallery that underlines the historical trajectory, is Nilima Sheikh. She can be termed a third generation of artists who is engaged with rich Indian traditions. It’s quite possible to draw a lineage between her practice and that of Santiniketan artists like Nandalal Bose, Benode Behari Mukherjee and Abanindranath Tagore via her teacher KG Subramanyan.

Mid-way in her career, she opted for the repertoire of techniques and more to the kernels of miniatures. The references she draws from pre-modern paintings as well as far eastern art, are well geared toward their visual forms that she manipulates to emphasize her concerns emanating from caste, religion, gender and political discriminations/ suppressions. Jayashree Chakravarty approach in her artistic language is autobiographical.

Her work is intricate and detailed, full of rich narratives, tender memories, vivid childhood images, and those drawn from her many sojourns, and her education in India and France. It essentially records her inner thoughts and melancholic moments. The artist has been inspired by the French impressionists and also Byzantine mosaic design. The question of context gets resolved at the very point where narration and reportage intersect through painted surface.

For all artists featured, the storyteller’s identity is felt through the works. The meticulous selection of the narrative by the respective storyteller indicates his/ her position - often conscious; a subconscious stance, at times by them - to continue their artistic commentaries...