Lounge
A new book offers an easy reading of Indian art
Summary
A new book rescues the art enthusiast from jargon and theory and guides them through artists, movements and mediums that shaped the Indian art world
From Stone Age cave paintings in Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh, to new-age conceptual art, The Big Book of Indian Art is lavish in its scope and scale. This illustrated history, by Bina Sarkar Ellias, of the various forms and movements that have led to paradigm shifts in Indian art over centuries, covers a lot of ground without getting dense or lethargic. Published by Aleph Books, this 744-page tome features the work of over 300 artists, and is divided into eight sections such as ‘The Bengal School’, ‘The Progressive Painters’ Association in Chennai and the Cholamandal Artists’ Village’, ‘Artistic Footprints: Indian Icons’, and ‘The Art Landscape Post Independence’.
Sarkar Ellias, a poet, writer, curator and founder-editor of the bi-annual global arts and ideas journal, International Gallerie, has been mindful of the fact that art can be daunting to most people, when it comes packed with theory and jargon. Right from the outset, she has mentioned that The Big Book of Indian Art is targeted more at art enthusiasts than art scholars, academics and historians. “This book is for those who appreciate art but are intimidated by a certain vocabulary designated by and for academics; as I’ve observed, it leaves the lay person tangled in a web of concepts and innuendos more numbing in comprehension than quantum physics," she states in her author note.
With succinct chapters on key periods such as Mughal Painting (1500-1700 CE), Patna School (1750-1870), Madras School (1850), and bite-sized biographies of significant artists, this book acts as a ready reckoner to Indian art. It is the kind of book that would act as a perfect companion to exhibitions to look up artists, mediums and historical time frames in order to read an artwork better. Sarkar Ellias is not just faithfully chronicling art history, but offering context as well. For instance, when she mentions the evolution of Sikh painting (1750-1850) in the northwest regions of Amritsar and Jalandhar, the author also offers a modern connection. “In contemporary times, we have a legacy that has found its way through the famous Singh twins, Amrit and Rabindra Kaur, who were born in Liverpool, UK, and have practised their art relentlessly. Contextualizing modern times in miniature style art, the sisters describe their work as Past-modern," she writes.
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In ‘Artistic Footprints: Indian Icons’, Sarkar Ellias brings to fore well-known artists such as Tyeb Mehta, Benode Mehari Mukherjee, Krishen Khanna, Badri Narayan, Zarina, Arpita Singh, Sohan Qadri, Anupam Sud and Vivan Sundaram with those, who might not have gotten their due, such as Vamona Navelcar (1930-2021). Born in north Goa, the artist taught art in Portugal and geometry in Mozambique, before returning home in 1984. His variations of the Last Supper and works made in response to Rabindranath Tagore’s poems need to be talked about more.
To me, one of the most interesting sections—and the most elaborate—is the ‘Art Landscape Post Independence’, which traces the transition from modern to contemporary art. It doesn’t feature your regular linear biographies. Rather, it is evident that Sarkar Ellias knows the subjects well, and picks anecdotes and specific aspects of their practice that would help a lay person engage with the artist better. The text humanises the artist, allowing you to see the person behind the works. Take, for instance, the snippet on Masood Hussain, born in Srinagar in 1953, whose works are rooted in the Kashmiri way of life. The author mentions that the first portrait that the artist ever drew as a child in the 1960s was of a young man, whose head was covered in a blood-stained bandage, as a result of stone pelting. Such instances have led to a mix of sombre works like Those Who Disappeared with evocative ones on rhythms of seasons and colours in Kashmir.
You delve into the lives of senior artists like Latika Katt (born 1948), who is known for carving, metal casting and bronze sculpting. While growing up in Varanasi, she was exposed to the cycles of life and death, growth and decay. Added to that was her fascination with insect life and flora, picked up from her botanist father, and all of that came through in her work. After browsing through the earlier chapters, when you arrive at the segment on contemporary art, you start to make connections of your own. For instance, you see how some of the significant artists such as Prabhakar Kolte and K.C.S Paniker turned into mentors for contemporary artists like Jayant Bhimsen Joshi. Or how different artists brought their own voice to a common theme or subject.
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Subba Ghosh’s The Newspaper Reader (2022), featured in the book, would definitely evoke memories of Krishen Khanna’s iconic Newspaper Reader (1993). While the modern master created an evocative work in oil, Ghosh depicts people on streets in the style of Indian hand-painted billboard hoardings. You can see different ideas on womanhood and the representation of the feminine figure in works by artists such as Arunima Choudhary, Shakuntala Kulkarni, Shipra Bhattacharya, and more. There is also an introduction to different forms of art-making such as ‘funtemporary’ by Rajendra Kapse, who draws inspiration from theatre, posturing, miming and drama, performance art by the likes of Nikhil Chopra, architectural practices such as Martand Khosla’s, text-based works of Shubigi Rao, or the use of charcoal on cloth by Minam Apang from Arunachal Pradesh.
I would suggest pairing the book with 20th Century Indian Art, edited by Partha Mitter, Parul Dave Mukherji and Rakhee Balaram, and published by Thames and Hudson in association with the Delhi-based Art Alive gallery. While The Book of Indian Art acts as a ready introduction to the ecosystem, the latter takes you on a deeper journey with essays on overlooked narratives, invaluable interviews and critical—albeit engaging—perspectives. Together, they make for great companions to understand the vibrant tapestry of Indian art.
