A new exhibition tries to tease out some of the complexities involved in a pattern of rejection, influence and echoing between maters from India and Western Modernism in the various ways they articulate a vernacular visual language.
Featured in a significant show ‘In Search of The Vernacular’ at Aicon Gallery, New York, are Post-Independence South Asian Masters like M. F. Husain, Jamini Roy, Abindranath Tagore, Nadalal Bose, F. N. Souza, S. H. Raza, Bikash Bhattacharjee, Jagdish Swaminathan, Laxma Goud, and Anjolie Ela Menon.
Elaborating on the theme, a curatorial note states, “Since the beginning of the 20th century, several Indian artists have articulated a vernacular visual language. It has often taken the form of taking Western art as something to be either rejected outright, or significantly altered in an effort to address an Indian vernacular.”
For example, Jamini Roy’s somewhat paradoxically, in turning away from Western Modernism, aligned himself with Modernism's stripping back of ornament in favor of line and color planes. His rejection of the then modern style of painting and his foray into the realm of Bengali folk paintings marked a new phase in the history of Indian modern art.
Abanindranath Tagore deliberately sought an indigenous style through firstly referencing the Mughal manner and subsequently through the development of a pan-Asian style. Nandalal Bose played a leading role in the renaissance of art in India.
Several other artists including those belonging to the Progressive Artists' Group (PAG) utilized Western Modernism yoked to Indian subject matter. They looked toward Western Modernism, even while trying to make it India- specific, often foregrounding rural inhabitants of the country as a way to mirror its life.
Icons of Indian culture through the ages seek to capture the quintessence of M. F. Husain’s subjects, such as Mother Teresa, Krishna and the goddess Saraswati. F. N. Souza’s repertoire of subjects covers nudes, icons of Christianity, still life and landscape, all rendered boldly in a frenzied distortion of form. Breaking away from frames like nation and specific locations in time and space, S. H. Raza’s body of work is trans-cultural in its appeal. Laxma Goud is recognized for his graceful, yet powerful line drawings, etchings and watercolors.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Chitra Ganesh’s thought-provoking social agenda
Chitra Ganesh’s work is a mix of separate productive moves that work in a perfect harmony. Even while firmly rooted in a Western, postmodern discourse, her cultural references allow her to convey the proven principle of a multiplicity as a spirit that draws together.
Her new wall creation is on view at P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center located at Long Island City, NY. It is considered among the largest and the oldest non-profit contemporary art institutions in the US that acts as a catalyst for new ideas, trends, and discourses in contemporary art.
The work at P.S.1 lobby by this versatile and innovative Indian artist features elements in India and Sumi inks, washes of color, cut paper and found objects such as plastic fruits, fake hair, and sequins.
She elaborates: “I've always been amazed by how dreams and their repressions tend to shape personal and social crises. My photography, sculptural and installation work is largely inspired by mythological narratives, erased moments in South Asian history, lyric poetry, present day imperialism and queer politics.
“Taking these tales and integrating them with my own mythic imagery, the hybrid world of sculpture and drawing articulate both psychic transformation and historical conflict. Much of my visual vocabulary engages an old Indian idiom, which describes women who transgress social norms - the term junglee.”
The piece is inspired by the character in Alan Moore’s 1980s graphic novel ‘Watchmen’, The Silhouette. The original superhero in the famous comic book series gets discriminated against and murdered for coming out as a lesbian. The work denotes links between myth, ritual, and high and low culture apart from connections between continents and countries.
Chitra Ganesh like in her past installations looks to excavate and circulate buried narratives typically excluded from the official canon.
Her new wall creation is on view at P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center located at Long Island City, NY. It is considered among the largest and the oldest non-profit contemporary art institutions in the US that acts as a catalyst for new ideas, trends, and discourses in contemporary art.
The work at P.S.1 lobby by this versatile and innovative Indian artist features elements in India and Sumi inks, washes of color, cut paper and found objects such as plastic fruits, fake hair, and sequins.
She elaborates: “I've always been amazed by how dreams and their repressions tend to shape personal and social crises. My photography, sculptural and installation work is largely inspired by mythological narratives, erased moments in South Asian history, lyric poetry, present day imperialism and queer politics.
“Taking these tales and integrating them with my own mythic imagery, the hybrid world of sculpture and drawing articulate both psychic transformation and historical conflict. Much of my visual vocabulary engages an old Indian idiom, which describes women who transgress social norms - the term junglee.”
The piece is inspired by the character in Alan Moore’s 1980s graphic novel ‘Watchmen’, The Silhouette. The original superhero in the famous comic book series gets discriminated against and murdered for coming out as a lesbian. The work denotes links between myth, ritual, and high and low culture apart from connections between continents and countries.
Chitra Ganesh like in her past installations looks to excavate and circulate buried narratives typically excluded from the official canon.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Spectrums of Modern & Contemporary Indian Art
Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage and the Embassy of India in UAE, presented 'Spectrum'. It was the first official collaborative exhibition of modern and contemporary Indian art in Abu Dhabi.
The exhibition was jointly curated by Dr. Saryu Doshi and Ms. Pheroza Godrej. A curatorial note stated:
The exhibition was jointly curated by Dr. Saryu Doshi and Ms. Pheroza Godrej. A curatorial note stated:
“The show features a significant collection of Indian art from 1947 to the present time. The exhibition showcases the artworks of eighty-five artists and includes paintings, sculpture, installations, photographs, new media and video. These artworks represent artists who have charted new trajectories, experimented with conventional idioms while evolving a new vocabulary or carved a niche for themselves on the International art scene by expressing themselves in a global language.A newspaper report quoted Talmiz Ahmad, Indian ambassador, as saying: “A large number of young people in the Gulf are not as familiar with various aspects of Indian culture as their parents and grand-parents were. The artists are from various parts of India and different age groups, so they depict the diversity of India. "Apart from the achievements of the country they are also ruthlessly reacting to the contemporary Indian problems like poverty and exploitation."
“The art works represent Indian artists’ concerns and preoccupations. Their works project social, political and cultural issues. Also, they show that many artists have drawn on traditional Indian idioms for motifs and devices to enhance their own pictorial language. The diverse and innovative imagery of several young artists crosses boundaries with its universal appeal. Spectrum will not only serve as an introduction to prevalent trends in Indian art but also promote deeper understanding of a different aesthetic.”
Art produced over the last six decades in the country was displayed at this exhibition held at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi. As many as 106 paintings and sculptures of 81 modern Indian artists (works from 1947 to 2007) were showcased.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Giving an outlet to innate creative processes
An article in Mumbai edition of The DNA India by writer Riddhi Doshi put the spotlight on Harsh Goenka on eve of the annual RPG art camp organized since 1991.
Elaborating on the event, Harsh Goenka was quoted as saying, "We have many senior artists this time like Anjolie Ela Menon, Paresh Maity, Krishen Khanna. We have a good blend of the old-world and new-age artists this time. Also we found that most of the people we invited were very happy to come. And I really don't think that the enthusiasm is dying."
He came down strongly on the trend of organizing art camps in exotic locations like Istanbul, Rome, etc. The article mentioned him saying, "There is not much serious art discussion and learning. Learning happens only when artists see each other paint. These camps are like holiday tours are also very commercial. This is how they calculate cost - if it's a group of 15 people, you pay for stay and travel which comes to Rs1 lakh per person, the total being Rs15 lakh. Then you demand two works from each artist the value of which goes up to Rs40 lakh. In the end, you have made a profit of Rs25 lakh."
To ensure that his camps are different, to begin with, he does not keep anything that the artists have created. They either sell their works during the closing or take them back with them. They leave for me a small self-portrait as a gesture.
He recounted: "Through the art camps, I have learnt to appreciate the psyche of the artist. I vividly remember artist Yusuf Arakkal who once lazed in the sun and in the swimming pool for five days. And I thought, 'what is he doing?' Sunday was the the showing of the works and Friday night he had not started working on anything. Saturday morning, I was just walking around and saw that he had finished a huge canvas. I asked him, what happened? He told me that art is not about skill alone, but about thought also…" The experience made him appreciate innate creative processes of various artists.
Elaborating on the event, Harsh Goenka was quoted as saying, "We have many senior artists this time like Anjolie Ela Menon, Paresh Maity, Krishen Khanna. We have a good blend of the old-world and new-age artists this time. Also we found that most of the people we invited were very happy to come. And I really don't think that the enthusiasm is dying."
He came down strongly on the trend of organizing art camps in exotic locations like Istanbul, Rome, etc. The article mentioned him saying, "There is not much serious art discussion and learning. Learning happens only when artists see each other paint. These camps are like holiday tours are also very commercial. This is how they calculate cost - if it's a group of 15 people, you pay for stay and travel which comes to Rs1 lakh per person, the total being Rs15 lakh. Then you demand two works from each artist the value of which goes up to Rs40 lakh. In the end, you have made a profit of Rs25 lakh."
To ensure that his camps are different, to begin with, he does not keep anything that the artists have created. They either sell their works during the closing or take them back with them. They leave for me a small self-portrait as a gesture.
He recounted: "Through the art camps, I have learnt to appreciate the psyche of the artist. I vividly remember artist Yusuf Arakkal who once lazed in the sun and in the swimming pool for five days. And I thought, 'what is he doing?' Sunday was the the showing of the works and Friday night he had not started working on anything. Saturday morning, I was just walking around and saw that he had finished a huge canvas. I asked him, what happened? He told me that art is not about skill alone, but about thought also…" The experience made him appreciate innate creative processes of various artists.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Jewels of Modern Indian Art at MFA
Sixteen paintings by modern Indian art masters are on view at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA).The show, entitled ‘Bharat Ratna! Jewels of Modern Indian Art’, continues up to August 22, 2010.
A curatorial note states: “Bharat Ratna! offers a visually exciting dialogue between the evolving modernism of western art and the deeply rooted traditions of India and the multiple different approaches Indian artists took, in the aftermath of Independence, to define their own and ‘Indian’ art. On view in the MFA’s Indian Paintings and Decorative Arts Gallery, the exhibit comprises works by several of the leading members of the Progressive Artists’ Group.”
These vibrant Bharat Ratnas (literally meaning ‘Jewels of India’) are drawn from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Rajiv Chaudhri. The duo has assembled some of the very best examples of post-Independence art from India. It’s the first time that a significant number of works from this renowned collection are being displayed publicly. It’s also the first major exhibit of modern Indian art in the MFA premises.
V.S. Gaitonde’s lush tonal landscape Untitled shows his attention to the nuances of light, color, and space. His manipulation of multiple thin layers of paint creates a luminous depth of hue. If M.F. Husain’s golden-toned Ganesh Darwaza (1964) points to his distinctly Indian subjects, equally vibrant is S.H. Raza’s Untitled (from the Rajasthan Series). It evokes the brilliant colors of Jain and Rajasthani miniatures in its depiction of the Indian countryside.
F.N. Souza’s ‘Man and Woman’ (1954) is more contemplative painting. This haunting work is a portrait of two saint-like figures pierced by the arrows of martyrdom. Ara’s ‘Bharata Natya’ shows the famous Indian temple dancer Ram Gopal in classical dance pose with a meticulous eye for the natural fluidity of the body, reminiscent of ancient Indian sculpture. The exhibition also includes Untitled (1960) by Avinash Chandra (1931–91), as well as the paintings by Arpita Singh and Jagdish Swaminathan.
Host of the show, The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), is recognized for the quality and scope of its encyclopedic collection, which includes an estimated 450,000 objects.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Art that feasts on Tiffin boxes
Dabbawala acts as a starter to the contemporary Indian art feast, proclaimed writer Silvia Radan of The Khaleej Times in a recent essay.
Talented artist Valay Shende’s Dabbawala was selected as an opening piece in a major show of the modern & contemporary Indian art retrospective, entitled ‘‘Spectrum’, in Abu Dhabi. The dabbawala, the tiffin box carrier is Mumbai’s highly efficient system of carrying and serving lunch to office goers.
The home cooked food, packed in a box is given to a carrier, who ensures it reaches the right person at the right time. The complexity and efficiency of the system impressed even Prince Charles so much that he invited a few dabbawalas as guests to his wedding ceremony.“
The dabbawala has been perfected to such details that some may call it a work of art, but how can it actually be translated into art, worthy of an international exhibition? The news report provides the answer by mentioning, "If you ask talented artist Valay Shende, he will tell you to create a copper and golden looking metal sculpture of a standing man in front of his bicycle, the man “dressed” in traditional Mumbai attire, made out of small watches and his bicycle packed with “boxes” in the shape of a human stomach."
The art exhibition was recently set up in a new improvised gallery at Emirates Palace.The Indian Embassy had organized it in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture & Heritage as a gesture of friendship and deepening relations between Emiratis and Indians.
Incidentally, Bose Krishnamachari's ‘GHOST/TRANSMEMOIR' includes over 100 metal cans used by the city's famous delivery men of Tiffin boxes. In this compelling installation the lunch boxes are mounted on iron scaffolding and contain LCD monitors. The tangle of wires, hand straps, headphones and metal containers is a play on the indomitable spirit and energy of the people of Mumbai, a city constantly on the move.
Talented artist Valay Shende’s Dabbawala was selected as an opening piece in a major show of the modern & contemporary Indian art retrospective, entitled ‘‘Spectrum’, in Abu Dhabi. The dabbawala, the tiffin box carrier is Mumbai’s highly efficient system of carrying and serving lunch to office goers.
The home cooked food, packed in a box is given to a carrier, who ensures it reaches the right person at the right time. The complexity and efficiency of the system impressed even Prince Charles so much that he invited a few dabbawalas as guests to his wedding ceremony.“
The dabbawala has been perfected to such details that some may call it a work of art, but how can it actually be translated into art, worthy of an international exhibition? The news report provides the answer by mentioning, "If you ask talented artist Valay Shende, he will tell you to create a copper and golden looking metal sculpture of a standing man in front of his bicycle, the man “dressed” in traditional Mumbai attire, made out of small watches and his bicycle packed with “boxes” in the shape of a human stomach."
The art exhibition was recently set up in a new improvised gallery at Emirates Palace.The Indian Embassy had organized it in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture & Heritage as a gesture of friendship and deepening relations between Emiratis and Indians.
Incidentally, Bose Krishnamachari's ‘GHOST/TRANSMEMOIR' includes over 100 metal cans used by the city's famous delivery men of Tiffin boxes. In this compelling installation the lunch boxes are mounted on iron scaffolding and contain LCD monitors. The tangle of wires, hand straps, headphones and metal containers is a play on the indomitable spirit and energy of the people of Mumbai, a city constantly on the move.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Confidence indicator for the Indian art market improves
Art analysis firm ArtTactic’s confidence indicator for the Indian art market has more than doubled, sending positive signals to investors.
In fact, recovery in the Indian art market could occur earlier than expected, according to the latest research report released by the London-based art market analysis firm. The report suggests there is renewed confidence evident in the market that incidentally had dipped to an all-time low only six months ago.
The report holds significance since ArtTactic, set up by Anders Petterson almost a decade ago, is an internationally reputed agency. It comes up with research and commentary by combining both quantitative and qualitative tools. Its studies are backed by an in-depth knowledge of the art market’s .
ArtTactic employs analytical frameworks and methodologies for the art market often employed by economists and the financial experts. Anders Petterson, ArtTactic managing director, elaborates, “The survey sample is a cross-section of key players in the Indian art market many of whom have a long-term interest in it, and hence their answers are not driven by short-term decisions.”
Its confidence indicator for the Indian art market is now pegged just under the 50 mark, at 49. The 50 mark importantly, suggests there are an equal number of negative and positive responses on the outlook for the art market in the near term. In May, the indicator was well in the negative territory, pegged at an abysmally low number of 20.
Clearly, the market is on the threshold of an upswing in terms of investor confidence. This really is a positive indicator coupled with the Indian economy that is showing early signs of revival.
In fact, recovery in the Indian art market could occur earlier than expected, according to the latest research report released by the London-based art market analysis firm. The report suggests there is renewed confidence evident in the market that incidentally had dipped to an all-time low only six months ago.
The report holds significance since ArtTactic, set up by Anders Petterson almost a decade ago, is an internationally reputed agency. It comes up with research and commentary by combining both quantitative and qualitative tools. Its studies are backed by an in-depth knowledge of the art market’s .
ArtTactic employs analytical frameworks and methodologies for the art market often employed by economists and the financial experts. Anders Petterson, ArtTactic managing director, elaborates, “The survey sample is a cross-section of key players in the Indian art market many of whom have a long-term interest in it, and hence their answers are not driven by short-term decisions.”
Its confidence indicator for the Indian art market is now pegged just under the 50 mark, at 49. The 50 mark importantly, suggests there are an equal number of negative and positive responses on the outlook for the art market in the near term. In May, the indicator was well in the negative territory, pegged at an abysmally low number of 20.
Clearly, the market is on the threshold of an upswing in terms of investor confidence. This really is a positive indicator coupled with the Indian economy that is showing early signs of revival.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
