Free Essay

The Rise of Contemporary Art in India

In:

Submitted By pchet14
Words 1463
Pages 6
The Rise of Contemporary Art in India

Art in India, in all its forms, has always had a very important place in the lives of its people. Through the ages it has definitely seen and been through a myriad range of changes while still preserving its "Indian quality" to some extent. Right from the artworks found during the excavations at Indus Valley and Mohenjodaro to classical painters like Ravi Varma and then to modern painters like M.F Husain and S.H Raza, Indian art like all others has gone through evolution. Most people today are familiar with ancient Indian art which mainly includes mythological paintings, sculptures and exquisite carvings in temples and the like. In other words, the art that was being produced in pre-independant India is very different from the art that is being produced today. India was ruled by the British for a little over two hundred years. As we got closer to independence, the artwork in the region was being influenced by the presence of foreigners in the country in the sense that they had a say over what and who actually got recognition. Most of the art movements and groups that were founded during this time were heavily represented by the English. Also the art awards and honors were monopolized by them. The British authorities at the time felt that Indian crafts were to be paid more attention to than fine art. one of the main reasons for this was because they felt that Indian art was too influenced by Hindu mythology to be appreciated all over the world.
The Rise of Modern Art: After India became independent, art began to change considerately. Several movements and groups sprung up all over the country headed by ambitious young artists with visions of bringing modern art to India. One group called Young Turks constituted of artists like P.T Reddy, M.T. Bhopale, A.A. Majeed, M.Y. Kulkarni, and C.B. Baptista was founded on the basis of self-expressionism in the late 1930's. Another similar group called Group 43' represented by artists like Keyt, Darahiyagala, Beling and Pieris was established around the same time. Both these groups produced influential work but did not stand the test of time. They certainly were however precedents to powerful modern art in India. This movement towards modernism and contemporary Indian art had very little female participation. The only woman artist from this period who's work is still talked about today is Amrita Sher-Gil. (Her mother was Hungarian and her father was from Punjab, India) After her schooling in Europe she returned to India to explore her roots during which she produced impressive work. Apart from her, no other eminent female artists were a part of this movement. Modern art in India has a been a widely debated topic. Artists are posed with the very relevant and challenging problem of how to combine modernistic impulses with traditional Indian flavor to create a unique aesthetic, for the Indian characteristic cannot be fully ignored nor blatantly incorporated. Some of artists have apt solutions for this while some others still grapple with it. Indian cinema is another important facet of Indian life that has both helped usher modernism in while itself changing to reflect these changes in the art world.
Progressive Artists' Group: The Progressive Artists' Group, founded with a manifesto written by F.N. Souza, single-handedly ushered in a new art movement in India. This group was comprised of F.N Souza, M.F. Husain, S.H. Raza, K.H. Ara, S.K. Bakre and H.A. Gade and they were based in post-colonial Bombay. The group was formed on the eve of Indian Independence and had links with the Communist Part of India (CPI) ( They were closely related with the CPI and initially shared many of their beliefs. The name "progressive" comes as a result of this influence. After a while however, the group withdrew their alliance and even revised their manifesto which earlier reflected many of the communist beliefs.) Each artist in the group had a unique style. They considered themselves artist citizens and wished to represent the voice of the common Indian man through their work. A few years after the founding of the group, the members scattered and relocated to different parts of the world. The group however remained the icon of contemporary art in India and they made post-colonial Bombay the nucleus of this movement. Their frank and blatant expression of reality took 20th century India by storm. Their artwork was met with a lot of criticism and was not widely accepted by the public. The group had exhibitions over the world - in Paris, Munich, London and New York. This international exposure put these artists at par with the artists all over the world.
Francis Newton Souza: This man, F.N Souza lead the Progressive group. He wrote the manifesto for the group in 1948. Souza's work is mainly centered around the human figure. Large distorted human figures predominate his work. As an artist he feels that this kind of expressionist painting is powerful. He feels that humans are charged with a unique energy and by painting this, the viewer somehow receives some of this energy. Non-figurative painting he feels is not this potent unless an artist uses symbology charged with religious or traditional meaning. Souza was a born rebel. He was dispelled from St. Xavier's school for drawing pornographic imagery in the bathrooms on one hand and on the other he was thrown out of J.J. School of art for taking part in a demonstration to protest against anti-nationalist practices of the British. He not only protested the British but he also contested the public in some way with his daring and forthcoming work. When he exhibited his work at a solo show at the Bombay Art Society in December 1945, it gained recognition for all the wrong reasons. The public's response to his work was not a pleasant one. This was when Souza realized he needed to form a group like the Progressives. After he was thrown out of school he joined the Communist Party of India. This was the same time at which Picasso joined the Communist party of Europe. Souza mostly depicted scenes of poverty, labourers and downtrodden factory workers during this time. After a while though he quit the CPI ( Communist Party of India) saying "I dont believe that a true artist paints for coteries or for the proletariat. I believe with all my soul that he paints solely for himself. I have made art a metabolism. I express myself freely in paint in order to exist. I paint what I want, what I like, what I feel." Souza developed a very distinct style over the years. A thick black bounding line, highly distorted figures and displaced facial features were a few of the features that were unique to his paintings. He was obsessed with depicting Christ and women in his paintings. These were the two most common subjects. Religion and sex he felt went hand in hand in a strange way. His paintings like Crucifixion and Christ, Souza depicts Christ in a very stark and frontal form. The earlier painting is almost scary in a way. The Six Gentlemen of Our Times is a series of six heads that Souza drew with ink on paper in preparation for his other piece, Death of the Pope. These ghoulish faces with distorted and displaced facial features make a compelling piece in themselves. After becoming a raging alcoholic, Souza moved to London and then to new York. His work has gained worldwide acclaim and has been exhibited all over the world. His work related to the human body and man in general is said to have been so important as it came at a time when India and its people were struggling with identity issues and they were struggling to find a place for themselves on the international platform. Souza was born on April 12, 1924 in Saligaon, Goa to a Roman Catholic family and died on March 28, 2002. He was truly considered a champion of his cause.
Conclusion:
Art has evolved considerably in India even over the past 50 years, that is since the Progressive Artists' Group. Nowadays younger artists with different views have emerged to match the ever changing Indian society. Anish Kapoor is an example of this change. This artist has claimed international acclaim at a young age and produces powerful art. Thanks to daring artists like Souza, Raza and Husain and others, young Indian artists like Anish have a platform to grow. The Progressive Artists' Group heralded the Contemporary Art movement in India at a time when the country needed it the most.

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Excursion Essay

...sports and performing arts, seemed too surreal. Throughout my time in Melbourne, I was captivated with the numerous culturally significant sites in and outside the city, such as the colorful history and rich heritage of the Victorian Parliament and the natural beauty of Australia’s wildlife at Healesville Sanctuary. However, a site that seems to reflect Melbourne’s status as one of the world’s great street art capitals and unique artistic expressions is Hosier Lane. Coming from a city with a booming street art movement- Bangkok, Thailand- I felt compelled to compare and reflect about the diverse range of street art and the related subcultures in Hosier Lane to the rising street art movement in Bangkok. The traditional definition of street art is usually unsanctioned visual art created in public locations. This particular term gained popularity due to the rise of graffiti artwork during the early 1980s. Nowadays, common art forms of modern street art can be sticker art, stencil graffiti, sculptures and posters. Often, these artworks are considered as the artist’s attempts to communicate their personal feelings or can be perceived as conveying thoughtful problems about society and its ever-shifting culture. Some artists have even garnered cult-followings throughout the media and worldwide attention due to their art that present aesthetic values and content relevant to society (Street Art-City of Melbourne). Common themes and messages found in street art can be political expressions...

Words: 1954 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Special Economic Zones

...GROUP- I SERVICES SYLLABUS GENERAL STUDIES AND MENTAL ABILITY (SCREENING TEST – OBJECTIVE TYPE) 1. General Science – Contemporary developments in Science and Technology and their implications including matters of every day observation and experience, as may be expected of a well-educated person who has not made a special study of any scientific discipline. 2. Current events of national and international importance. 3. History of India – emphasis will be on broad general understanding of the subject in its social, economic, cultural and political aspects with a focus on AP Indian National Movement. 4. World Geography and Geography of India with a focus on AP. 5. Indian polity and Economy – including the country’s political system- rural development – Planning and economic reforms in India. 6. Mental ability – reasoning and inferences. 7. DISASTER MANAGEMENT (Source : CBSE Publications) 1. Concepts in disaster management and vulnerability profile of India / State of A.P. 2. Earth quakes / Cyclones / Tsunami / Floods / Drought – causes and effects. 3. Man made disasters - Prevention strategies. 4. Mitigation strategies / Mitigation measures MAIN EXAMINATION (CONVENTIONAL TYPE) GENERAL ENGLISH (X CLASS STANDARD, QUALIFYING FOR INTERVIEW) 1. Comprehension 2. Precis-writing 3. Re-arrangement of sentences 4. Correction of sentences 5. Synonyms 6. Antonyms 7. Filling in the blanks 8. Correction of spellings 9. Vocabulary and usage 10. Idioms and phrases ...

Words: 2026 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

How Has Globalism Changed Over Time

...between completely different continents becomes almost instantaneous. This communication capability would, in turn, lay the framework for the rise of a unified global society. Globalism...

Words: 1601 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Hinduism

...The Origins of Hinduism 1 What features of geography might have contributed to Hindu religious sensibilities? The river Ganges 2 Explain one of the analogies the author uses to understand Hinduism (a great river or a palace added to over centuries). Both convey the idea that nothing is ever lost in Hinduism. The religious life of India is something like the river Ganges. It has flowed along for thousands of years, swirling from its own power but also from the power of new streams that have added to its force. (Molloy 78) But the limitations of Hinduism may also be its strengths. It is like a palace that began as a two-room cottage. Over the centuries, wings have been built on to it, and now it has countless rooms, stairs, corridors, statues, fountains, and gardens. (Molloy 78) 3 What features have enabled Hinduism to develop freely in many directions? Many influences—early indigenous religion and influences from later immigrants—have added to its inherent momentum. It has no one identifiable founder, no strong organizational structure to defend it and spread its influence, nor any creed to define and stabilize its beliefs; and in a way that seems to defy reason, Hinduism unites the worship of many gods with a belief in a single divine reality. (Molloy 78) Molloy, Michael. Experiencing the World's Religions, 5th Edition. McGraw-Hill Learning Solutions, 2010. VitalBook file. The Earliest Stage of Indian Religion ...

Words: 1343 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Tattoos

...written record of tattooing in Japan was found in a history of the Chinese Dynasty from the year 297 A.D. Today in Japan, tattooing is considered taboo because many of the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia, wear tattoos. Some people believe that the practice of tattooing may even date as many as 10,000 years into the past! What's This? Have you ever wondered how people tattoo their bodies when they don’t have access to a tattoo gun or a professional tattoo artist? You may be surprised to learn that many people have tattooed their skin using Indian ink, a sewing needle and a few lengths of the thread. India ink (or Indian ink in British English,) or less commonly called Chinese ink since it may have been first developed in either India or China, is a simple black ink once widely used for writing and printing, and now more commonly used for drawing, especially when inking comics and comic. India ink is made by taking something and burning it to produce soot. The soot is "harvested" and made into ink. It will work, but it is really...

Words: 957 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Intramuros

...HUMANITIES 1 (RESEARCH PAPER) HISTORY OF PAINTINGS AND ARTISTS IN THE WORLD ADRIAN M SITCHON PROF. PEREZ 4TH YEAR/BS.HRM/NS (SUBMITTED BY) TABLE OF CONTENT INTRODUCTION HISTORY BODY * EASTERN PAINTING * WESTERN PAINTING * 20th-CENTURY MODERN * AND CONTEMPORARY DEFINITION OF TERMS * FAMOUS PAINTERS * AND BIOGRAPHY * Paintings of famous painters CONCLUSION RECOMMENDATION REFERENCE INTRODUCTION: Painting can be done in a variety of media. For example, Oils, Watercolour, Acrylics, Gouache and Tempera. Paints are made from a pigment, and a binder. Binder is relatively cheap, while pigment is much more expensive. Pigments are a colored powder, made from organic or inorganic materials. (This is different than a colorant, which dyes or stains a color.) All paints use the same basic pigments, but the binder changes. The binder for acrylics dries quickly and the paint is more like a plastic than oils which have an oil based binder and dry slowly. Oil Paints are often built up in layers or glazes. The other paints---Watercolour, Acrylics, Gouache, and Tempera---are water-based, meaning the paint can be diluted with water and clean-up can be done with soap and water. Oil paints, on the other hand, require paint thinner to clean brushes. The number and variety of painting techniques is endless. Besides quality of paint, factors affecting color quality include: paint opacity, glossiness of painting surface...

Words: 4942 - Pages: 20

Premium Essay

Folk Dance

...Name: Aunso, Jemimah Lea, S. Course and year: BSED 1st 1.What is dance? Dance is a performance art form consisting of purposefully selected sequences of human movement. This movement has aesthetic and symbolicvalue, and is acknowledged as dance by performers and observers within a particular culture.[nb 1] Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire of movements, or by its historical period orplace of origin. An important distinction is to be drawn between the contexts of theatrical andparticipatory dance,[4] although these two categories are not always completely separate; both may have special functions, whether social,ceremonial, competitive, erotic, martial, or sacred/liturgical. Others disciplines of human movement are sometimes said to have a dance-like quality, including martial arts, gymnastics, figure skating, synchronized swimming and many other forms of athletics. 2. What are the types/kinds of dances? Types of Dance - Categories Here are some of the most popular dance categories and types: Ballroom Dances These dances started appearing first in Italy, during the early years of Renaissance. Popularity of this kind of entertainment quickly swept over the Europe, United States and the World. Although many other simpler and more easily preformed types of dances caused the ballroom dances to lose some of their influence, modern worldwide dancing audience started resurrecting these immortal dances in ever increasing pace...

Words: 6745 - Pages: 27

Premium Essay

History of Gupta Dynasty

...Gupta Dynasty Ajay jayachandran 733 II SEMESTEr Introduction The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire which existed from approximately 320 to 550 CE and covered much of the Indian Subcontinent. Founded by Maharaja Sri Gupta, the dynasty is a model of a classical civilization. The peace and prosperity created under the leadership of the Guptas enabled the pursuit of scientific and artistic endeavors. This period is called the Golden Age of India and was marked by extensive inventions and discoveries science, technology,  engineering,  art,  dialectic, literature, logic, mathematics, astronomy,  religion and philosophy that crystallized the elements of what is generally known as Hindu culture. Chandra Gupta I, Samudra Gupta the Great, and Chandra Gupta II the Great were the most notable rulers of the Gupta dynasty. The 4th century CE Sanskrit poet Kalidasa, credits Guptas with having conquered about twenty one kingdoms, both in and outside India, including the kingdoms of Parasikas (Persians), the Hunas, the Kambojas tribes located in the west and east Oxus valleys, the Kinnaras, Kiratas etc. The high points of this cultural creativity are magnificent architecture, sculptures and paintings. The Gupta period produced scholars such asKalidasa, Aryabhata, Varahamihira, Vishnu Sharma and Vatsyayana who made great advancements in many academic fields. Science and political administration reached new heights during the Gupta era...

Words: 2553 - Pages: 11

Free Essay

Formation of English Literary Language

...Саратовский Государственный Университет им Н.Г.Чернышевского Literary Language Formation of English Literary Language Выполнила студентка 411 группы Журкина Дарья Саратов, 2012 1. Literary Language  Literary language is a developed form of a national language, with norms fixed in writing to varying extents; the language of all manifestations of culture that are expressed in words. The concept of a “developed form” is historically variable (in different ages and with different peoples). In the age of feudalism many peoples of the world used foreign languages as their written literary languages. The Iranian and Turkish peoples used classical Arabic, the Japanese and Koreans used classical Chinese, the Germanic and West Slavic peoples used Latin, and the people in the Baltic region and the Czechs used German. The popular languages supplanted the foreign language in many functional spheres of communication during the 14th and 15th centuries in some states and in the 16th and 17th centuries in others. The literary language is always the result of collective creative activity. The notion that the norms of a literary language are “fixed” is somewhat relative (despite all the importance and stability of the norm, it changes in time). It is not possible to imagine a national culture that is rich and developed without a rich and developed literary language. This is why the problem of the literary language is very important for society. Linguists do not agree about the...

Words: 2366 - Pages: 10

Free Essay

Maoism in India

...Maoism ideology: Maoism is a form of communism developed by Mao Tse Tung. It is a doctrine to capture State power through a combination of armed insurgency, mass mobilization and strategic alliances. Propaganda and disinformation against State institutions are used as additional tools. Mao called this process, the ‘Protracted Peoples War’. The central theme of Maoist ideology is resorting to violence as a tool to capture State power. ‘Bearing of arms is non-negotiable’ as per the Maoist insurgency doctrine. Maoism has a definite view about how to get to socialism, and about what needs to be done to meet the basic needs of everyone in a poor country. Development is to be on an egalitarian basis—we are all in it together and everyone rises together. Unlike the earlier forms of Marxism-Leninism in which the urban proletariat was seen as the main source of revolution, and the countryside was largely ignored, Mao focused on the peasantry as a revolutionary force which, he said, could be mobilized by a Communist Party with their knowledge and leadership. The model for this was of course the Chinese Communist rural insurgency of the 1920s and 1930s, which eventually brought the Communist Party of China to power. Furthermore, unlike other forms of Marxism-Leninism in which large-scale industrial development were seen as a positive force, Maoism made all-round rural development the priority. Mao felt that this strategy made sense during the early stages of socialism in a country in which...

Words: 2178 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

We Are Secular

...INDIAN ART INTRODUCTION Study of history of art has developed in association with archaeological studies; however, it is now recognized as a specialized discipline. In the West, mainly in Europe, historical art as a discipline has grown considerably with numerous methodological inputs, whereas in India it is still in the process of development in its investigating mechanisms. As the study of art history has grown out of extensive documentations and excavations, one finds description of art objects as the prominent method of study. There are a few significant studies in the early twentieth century, where the concerns are addressed beyond mere description. Subsequently several generations of outstanding western and Indian scholars of Indian art history have studied the subject in great depth and the findings are a revelation of how glorious has been the Indian civilizational achievement through its art creations in the medium of architectural monuments, sculptures and paintings. We can claim a distinct Indian approach to the art of building edifices, sculpture making and the language of painting when compared with European art or the Far Eastern art. Therefore, Indian historical art studies have emerged as a prestigious academic discipline in the university level education. ART - ANCIENT &MEDIEVALTIMES Arts of the Indus Valley The arts of the Indus Valley Civilization emerged during the second half of the third millennium BCE in the Indian sub continent. The...

Words: 4416 - Pages: 18

Premium Essay

Hjhjh

...Business Education At Crossroads in India Abstract: The aim of this study is to examine various untapped opportunities and challenges faced by business education in India. In today’s rapidly changing market, business programs in India are under scanner as they face criticisms on various aspects of the program like continuous rise in non-accredited institutes, selection process getting changed year after year, curriculum not being as dynamic as the market, quality of students being varied in the same college, no consistency in placement, value system getting shattered, role of faculty, student involvement in studies, work-fun balance in college. This study is help to gain a better understanding of business school to effectively address these challenges. In this study we would be carrying out research for gaining an insight into the current trend of business schools through surveys, questionnaire, in-depth interview and empirical methods. Based on the analysis of the data, suggestions would be made for improvement in quality of business education in India. Keywords: Quality of Business education, Challenges, Opportunities. Introduction: Management as a field of study has been developing since 18th century. From its evolution to now, management education has changed drastically. It has developed according to changing needs of the industry. Past globalization and advent of the internet, the world has become ‘flat’ as described by Thomas Friedman. Therefore almost everything...

Words: 1095 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Resume

...Ballet  Ballet is a type of performance dance that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread, highly technical form of dance with its own vocabulary based on French terminology. It has been globally influential and has defined the foundational techniques used in many other dance genres. Ballet requires years of training to learn and master, and much practice to retain proficiency. It has been taught in ballet schools around the world, which have historically used their own cultures to evolve the art. Ballet may also refer to a ballet dance work, which consists of the choreography and music for a ballet production. A well-known example of this is The Nutcracker, a two-act ballet that was originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a music score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Ballet dance works are choreographed and performed by trained artists. Many classical ballet works are performed with classical music accompaniment and are theatrical and use elaborate costumes and staging, though there are exceptions to this, such as works by George Balanchine. ------------------------------------------------- Ballroom dance Ballroom dance is a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world, and growing all the more popular in North America. Because of its performance and entertainment aspects, ballroom...

Words: 1334 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Ancient History

...Indus Valley Civilization – The Indus Valley Civilization was a Bronze Age civilization (3300–1300 BC; mature period 2600–1900 BC) extending from what today is northeast Afghanistan to Pakistan and northwest India. Along with Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia it was one of three early civilizations of the Old World, and of the three the most widespread. It flourished in the basins of the Indus River, one of the major rivers of Asia, and the Ghaggar-Hakra River, which once coursed through northwest India and eastern Pakistan. The Indus Valley Civilization is also known as the Harappan Civilization, after Harappa, the first of its sites to be excavated in the 1920s, in what was then the Punjab province of British India, and is now in Pakistan. A uniform culture had developed at settlements spread across nearly 500,000 square miles, including parts of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Baluchistan, Sindh and the Makran coast. It was a highly developed civilization and derived its name from the main river of that region— Indus. |Year |Site |Discovered by | |1920 |Harappa |Rai Bahadur Daya Ram Sahni | |1922 |Mohenjodaro |R. D. Banerjee | |1927 |Sutkagen dor |R. L. Staine ...

Words: 16723 - Pages: 67

Premium Essay

Entertainment in India

...course of the arts of India, and consequently, the rest of Asia. Arts refer to paintings, architecture, literature, music, dance, languages and cinema. In early India, most of the arts were derived Vedic influences. After the birth of contemporary Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism arts flourished under the patronage of kings and emperors. The coming of Islam spawned a whole new era of Indian architecture and art. Finally the British brought their own Gothic and Roman influences and fused it with the Indian style. They have a culture infusion in their art. Contents [hide] 1 Architecture 2 Literature 3 Music 4 Dance 5 Sculpture 6 Painting 7 Cinema 8 Radio 9 Television 9.1 Major events 9.2 Professional events 9.3 Amateur events 10 References 11 External links Architecture[edit] Main article: Architecture of India This article contains wording that promotes the subject in a subjective manner without imparting real information. Please remove or replace such wording and instead of making proclamations about a subject's importance, use facts and attribution to demonstrate that importance. (October 2009) Indian architecture is that vast tapestry of production of the Indian subcontinent that encompasses a multitude of expressions over space and time, transformed by the forces of history considered unique to the sub-continent, sometimes destroying, but most of the time absorbing. The result is an evolving range of architectural production that nonetheless...

Words: 2841 - Pages: 12