The Rise of Modernism in Indian Art

Art is most relevant when it is created as a mirror held up to reflect a society’s culture, history, and/or politics. This is never more true that in the contemporary art movement of India, which over the course of the past century or so has used themes indigenous to that subcontinent to produce images that combines emotions with expression.

The modern art era in India has its genesis in the Revivalists movement during the last decades of the 19th century. At a time when European painters like Cézanne, Renoir, and Van Gogh were experimenting with Impressionism, the Revivalists were regressing into India’s past by incorporating Hindu and Buddhist themes into their work. Representative of this group were Ravi Verma (1848 – 1906) known for his Indian mythological subject matter, Abanindranath Tagore (1861 – 1941) who revisited India’s spiritual past, and Ananda Coomaraswamy (1877 – 1947) who interpreted Indian culture to the West. Revivalist art was deeply influenced by the glorious past and heritage of India, by its great epics and transcendental philosophy.

The next important movement occurred at the nexus of Indian history in the late 1940’s when the country was experiencing tremendous national upheaval after gaining its independence from the British Empire. F. N. Souza formed the Progressive Artist Group, who with other founding members included M. F. Husain, K. H. Ara, H. A. Gade, S. K. Bakre, and S. H. Raza. The group declared that they intended to go forward, and being “progressive”, summarily denouncing the influence of past Indian artists as too sentimental and old-fashioned. With an intentional, unabashed homage to European contemporaries, the artists created pieces that drew parallels of the tension between the local and the global by creating art within the framework of international modernism.

By the late 1970’s, the movement had faded out, with Raza, Souza, and Husain emerging as distinguished, respected artists, each developing their own unique methodology. Raza found his fame in Paris, Souza in London, where he continued to produce shocking, compelling, and challenging artwork. Husain remained in India where he continues to paint the essence of India, its countryside and mythology.

After the bold and undeniable success of the Progressive Artists Group, new talent with new ideas again transformed the Indian art scene. Liberated from archetypal themes by those who preceded them, painters like Tyeb Mehta, Ram Kumar, Akbar Padamesee, and a host of others began a quest for their own styles. The atmosphere came alive with national art events, news and discussions, and galleries and museums opening up everywhere, especially in the cultural centers of Dehli, Mumbai, and Calcutta.

In the last decade, geography and history have shed their boundaries and Indian artists have come in contact with styles and techniques from all the corners of the world. But amid the tangled scene of contemporary culture and global economies, there is again a struggle for self-expression. Looking at the work of a number of modern Indian artists, there seems little to differentiate their imagery from art made in other parts of the world; yet their cultural heritage does affect their work, even if it is not apparent. The current Indian painting scene is very dynamic and eclectic, with young talented Indian artists (see New Generation of Artists Making their Mark blog below) making innovative contributions to world art on their own terms while garnering international attention.