Even today, the Mahatma seems to be the icon that is drawing artists, art world and auctioneers globally. Several Indian practitioneers have created works that revolve around the ideology of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, and it’s worth revisiting their works inspired by the great freedom fighter’s philosophy and his persona. For example, his frail frame with a stick in hand was portrayed by painter Nandlal Bose during the Dandi Yatra in 1931.
Another Santiniketan artist Ramkinkar Baij was also influenced by him.The Father of the Nation has been a favorite theme for many masters and contemporaries. Prime among them are Subodh Gupta, Jitish Kallat and Atul Dodiya, three of India’s finest contemporary artists.
Atul Dodiya, in particular, has been deeply touched by the Mahatma’s teachings. He is conscious of historical perspectives, a fact that reflects in his works based on the Mahatma’s message. The artist has been trying to re-contextualize the Mahatma’s message of non-violence, peace and tolerance through his paintings.
Among the younger ones, Hindol Brahmbhatt has worked on several diptychs and triptychs, around 30 of them, that locate the relevance of the Father of the Nation and his philosophy in today’s context. The sensitive artist is pained by hollowness that surrounds the ritual of remembering the Mahatma. Several of the artist’s creations juxtapose images of war, violence and strife with the Mahatma pushed to the background that heightens the sense of irony.
A group show, ‘Detour’, courtesy Mumbai based Chemould Prescott a few years ago, featured photographers Ravi Agarwal, Sonia Jabbar, Samar Jodha, Dayanita Singh and Ram Rahman whose work revolved around Gandhi’s movement for freedom. It commemorated the centennial of Gandhi’s seminal work, Hind Swaraj (1909).
Curator Ranjit Hoskote had stated: "By turns illuminating, exasperating and inspiring, these utopian and redemptive writings remind us that ‘nationalism’ was not a single script; that the India these thinkers envisioned was, and will always be, a work in progress.”
Another Santiniketan artist Ramkinkar Baij was also influenced by him.The Father of the Nation has been a favorite theme for many masters and contemporaries. Prime among them are Subodh Gupta, Jitish Kallat and Atul Dodiya, three of India’s finest contemporary artists.
Atul Dodiya, in particular, has been deeply touched by the Mahatma’s teachings. He is conscious of historical perspectives, a fact that reflects in his works based on the Mahatma’s message. The artist has been trying to re-contextualize the Mahatma’s message of non-violence, peace and tolerance through his paintings.
Among the younger ones, Hindol Brahmbhatt has worked on several diptychs and triptychs, around 30 of them, that locate the relevance of the Father of the Nation and his philosophy in today’s context. The sensitive artist is pained by hollowness that surrounds the ritual of remembering the Mahatma. Several of the artist’s creations juxtapose images of war, violence and strife with the Mahatma pushed to the background that heightens the sense of irony.
A group show, ‘Detour’, courtesy Mumbai based Chemould Prescott a few years ago, featured photographers Ravi Agarwal, Sonia Jabbar, Samar Jodha, Dayanita Singh and Ram Rahman whose work revolved around Gandhi’s movement for freedom. It commemorated the centennial of Gandhi’s seminal work, Hind Swaraj (1909).
Curator Ranjit Hoskote had stated: "By turns illuminating, exasperating and inspiring, these utopian and redemptive writings remind us that ‘nationalism’ was not a single script; that the India these thinkers envisioned was, and will always be, a work in progress.”
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