Indian art shows in 2011- I

Many of the world’s leading and most prestigious modern art museums hosted ambitious exhibitions that threw light on complexities and subtle undercurrents of contemporary Indian society, now more dynamic and creative than ever, still full of contrasts.

The year started on a near-perfect note as far as Indian art is concerned with several solo and group shows by several renowned artists. In fact, the momentum for dazzling art displays was carried over from the previous year’s shows extending into 2011 like ‘ Samtidigt (Concurrent)’ courtesy Kulturhuset, Stockholm that gave a sense of the atmosphere and situation in India today while simultaneously revealing strong connections to its history.

‘India Awakens - Under the Banyan Tree’ (Curator: Alka Pande) at Vienna’s Essl Museum presented 34 young artists with a focus on contemporary currents and tendency. ‘Concurrent India’ at Helsinki City Art Museum in Finland featured works, dealing with power structures that govern the actions of the individual.

California based-San Jose Museum of Art presented a landmark show of modern & contemporary art from India, entitled ‘Roots in the Air, Branches Below’. A meticulous survey of recent art from India, it showcased works that mapped the dramatic economic and social transformation of the country since its independence.

The grand traveling exhibit, entitled Indian Highway IV’, continues its journey across 3 continents: Europe, South America and Asia. After London (Serpentine Gallery), Oslo (Astrup Fearnley Museet), Herning (Museum of Contemporary Art) it now comes to Lyon.

Artist TV Santhosh’s first solo exhibition ‘The Land’ in Berlin was held at Nature Morte in collaboration with The Guild. A solo by Rashid Rana at London-based Lisson Gallery highlighted large-scale photographic works that he considers ‘unpacking abstraction’. Sara Hildén Art Museum in Finland hosted by Subodh Gupta, whom it described as ‘the superstar of India's contemporary art’, and also among the most important names in international contemporary art, at present.