FRIEZE MASTERS

curatorial note

Primitivism in Indian modern art reflects the cultural and historical specificities of the subcontinent. While the term originates in Western art, its Indian resonance is distinct, often representing a return to indigenous traditions, a reclamation of authenticity, and an assertion of identity amid colonial and post-colonial influences. This exhibition explores these layers, revealing how Indian primitivism aligns with global modernist trends while maintaining its uniqueness.

The showcase highlights the cultural specificity of Indian primitivism through a vibrant interplay of simplicity and sophistication, tradition and innovation, rural and urban. Featuring works by a range of artists, including Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore and national treasure Jamini Roy, primitivism is presented as an artistic strategy rather than a rigid style, manifesting uniquely across these practices.

Unlike the West’s exoticisation of ‘othered’ cultures, Indian primitivism stems from the familiar—a return to indigenous aesthetics. This distinction shapes the narrative of this showcase, which aims to foster a deeper understanding of how primitivism in India becomes a tool for self-definition and cultural assertion.