March to Freedom

Collaborative/Collateral

March to Freedom

REFLECTIONS ON INDIA'S INDEPENDENCE

New Delhi: Bikaner House (between Pandara Rd, &, Shahjahan Rd) India Gate
05 – 28 October 2022
Monday to Sunday, 10 am – 6 pm

March to Freedom re-interprets the well-known story of the Indian freedom struggle and anticolonial movement through works of art and some historic artefacts. Drawn from the collections of DAG, they range from eighteenth and nineteenth century European paintings and prints, to lesser known works by Indian artists that merit greater recognition, alongside some iconic pieces. Rather than following the usual chronological path, the story is structured around eight themes. Each represents one arena, or stage, on which the anti-colonial struggle took place, to expand the story beyond politics, politicians, and battles (which also feature). Conceived to commemorate and celebrate the 75th anniversary of India’s independence, this visual journey seeks to do more. For even as we remember the struggles, the sacrifices, and the stories, such anniversaries are also occasions for reflection, including upon the scholarship that has developed on South Asian history. Some of the latter may be familiar to academics, or those with special interests. For most of the rest of us, our knowledge of this past is derived in large part from hazy memories of school lessons, which change from one generation to the next, and are influenced by concurrent national politics. We also learn from narratives on offer through public channels or in the media, to mark moments of national remembrance or controversy.

Artists

A. A. Raiba

Anonymous

Anonymous (19th Century)

Anonymous (Company Painting)

Anonymous (Vanity Fair)

Anonymous (Various Print)

Atul Bose

Charles D'Oyly

Dorothy Newsome

Edward Orme

Jacob Epstein

James Hunter

K. Sreenivasulu

Pralhad Anant Dhond

Rabin Halder

Sudhir Ranjan Khastgir

Thomas Anbury

Thomas J Barker

William Daniell

'One of the key points of this exhibition is to see the stories that we know, or study or have been told by others from another point of view. I think it's good to revisit and rethink our understanding of the past - we always learn something new and that is important' — Mrinalini Venkateswaran

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