A foreign view of Indian ethos

A new group exhibition curated by Georgina Maddox at New Delhi based Gallery Threshold features works by Carrie Fonder, Jenny Mullins, Rebecca Layton and Lily Stockman.

India is vast: 1.2 billion people; 24 languages; 1,600 dialects; 28 states; myriad cuisines; 330,000 gods and goddesses; 300 ways to cook a potato; the Ganges attracting millions to its banks; home also of Mahatma Gandhi—a moral force; and one of the richest and most ancient cultures on the planet.

Every few miles, India presents itself differently; each region distinct. It's modern, yet traditional, where a cow shares space with a rickshaw and an SUV. It speaks many languages. It savors many cuisines. It colors life in more hues than there are in a rainbow. It's contemporary, yet classic, where skyscrapers jostle shanties for space, where yoga and hip hop are neighbors. India is diverse in every aspect, yet united as one country. India is home to a million art forms, both traditional and modern.

Is India the new destination for international art interest? Posing this larger question collaboration between four American, artists living in India, explores the notion of the ‘Super Power’ with its tongue firmly in cheek. It's an attempt to go beyond long held stereotypes of India and to touch on the personal readings of four Artists on Fulbright Scholarships from the US, who have spent months interacting with India through the lens of culture.

Carrie Fonder from Detroit, Rebecca Layton from Austin, Jenny Mullins from Washington and Lily Stockman from Los Angeles, each have a unique approach to the subject. They critically examine their position as American artists, visiting India at a time of its economic rising. Each artist has employed multiple mediums to engage with the subject of India. From painting and sculpture to drawing and installation, they have essayed their concerns through a bandwidth of responses.

Carrier Fonder, Rebecca Layton, Jenny Mullins and Lily Stockman bridge sculpture, painting, drawing and installation, in an exhibition that attempts a dialogue with India's rising economic autonomy and its flourishing middle-class.