The Armory Show

curatorial note

In search of originality and authentic sensibility, Indian artists began, from the early decades of the twentieth century, to unlearn the academic discourse taught in colonial-era art institutions. After the nation gained Independence in 1947, there was a departure from figurative art, as self-expression took precedence for artists, and many delved into abstraction. At this juncture in history, artists not only experimented with formal structures, but contemplated the philosophical question of art’s final goal.

Cross-cultural exchanges played an important role in sustaining the abstract in Indian art. Artists were offered government scholarships and privately funded fellowships to travel overseas to Europe, U.S.A. and elsewhere to visit and study. Some chose to stay abroad: for example, Natvar Bhavsar, Krishna Reddy and Anil Revri made New York their home, Rajendra Dhawan and V Vishwanadhan lived in Paris, Ambadas Khobragade emigrated to Oslo in Norway, whereas Sohan Qadri chose Copenhagen in Denmark. Abstraction was crucial to these artists’ practice and, in key aspects, each artist stood in a league of their own.

Through these overseas Indian modernists, distinct styles of evolving, non-representational art are presented—in paintings produced on canvas and on paper, using a variety of media. Their uniqueness is illustrated by the cultural and political stance taken by each artist, the subjects they sought inspiration in, and in their processes of creating art.