11.2 Post-Independence Art Movements

After independence, South Asian artists sought new ways to express their identities. They blended traditional styles with modern influences, creating unique movements. This period saw a shift from colonial art to diverse, locally-rooted expressions.

Artists explored abstraction, figurative art, and experimental practices. They tackled social issues, challenged norms, and embraced new media. These movements shaped South Asia's vibrant contemporary art scene, reflecting the region's complex cultural landscape.

Art Movements in Post-Independence South Asia

The Progressive Artists' Group and Abstractionism

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• The Progressive Artists' Group formed in 1947 in Bombay, seeking to break from colonial artistic traditions and develop a new modernist visual language rooted in India
  • Key members included F.N. Souza, M.F. Husain, S.H. Raza and K.H. Ara
  • Embraced international modernist styles like Post-Impressionism (Cézanne), Cubism (Picasso), and Expressionism (Munch)
• Abstractionism took hold from the late 1950s, engaging with formalist concerns and Zen philosophy
  • Prominent artists included V.S. Gaitonde, Akbar Padamsee, and Nasreen Mohamedi
  • Rejected figurative representation in favor of spiritually-informed non-objective art

Continuing Influence of the Bengal School and Figurative Art Movements

• The Bengal School, established by Abanindranath Tagore in the early 20th century, continued to be influential post-independence
  • Emphasized indigenous Indian artistic traditions (Mughal miniatures, Ajanta murals), spirituality, and nationalism
  • Associated with cultural nationalism and the rejection of Western academic realism
• Contextual Modernism emerged in the 1960s-70s, engaging with local political and social issues through figuration
  • Prominent artists included Sudhir Patwardhan, Gieve Patel, and Nalini Malani
  • Had a politicized edge, reflecting and shaping social consciousness
• Baroda Figurative Art developed in the 1950s-60s at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Baroda
  • Artists like Gulammohammed Sheikh, Bhupen Khakhar and Vivan Sundaram used narrative figuration
  • Depicted daily life, social realities, and introspective narratives drawing on regional identities and vernacular traditions

Experimental Art Practices and New Media

• Experimental art practices proliferated from the 1960s onwards, challenging conventional notions of art-making
  • Included conceptual art (Joseph Kosuth), installations (Vivan Sundaram), performance art (Nasreen Mohamedi), and new media
  • Questioned premises of art-making, deconstructing notions of medium-specificity, originality and artistic skill
• In contrast to earlier movements' emphasis on painterly and sculptural traditions
  • The Progressives and later movements embraced a more internationalist outlook
  • Engaged with modernist discourses from the West and elsewhere, moving beyond cultural nationalism

Styles and Philosophies of Post-Independence Art

Contrasting Approaches to Figuration and Abstraction

• The Progressive Artists' Group embraced international modernist styles while the Bengal School favored indigenous Indian styles
  • Progressives drew on Post-Impressionism, Cubism, Expressionism
  • Bengal School inspired by Mughal and Rajput miniatures, Ajanta murals
• Contextual Modernism and Baroda Figurative Art both engaged with social and political realities through figuration
  • Contextual Modernism had a more politicized edge
  • Baroda Figurative Art tended towards introspective narratives
• Abstractionists rejected figurative representation in favor of spiritually-informed non-objective art
  • Prominent abstractionists included V.S. Gaitonde, Akbar Padamsee, Nasreen Mohamedi
  • In contrast, figurative artists believed in art's capacity to reflect and shape social consciousness

Questioning Artistic Conventions and Asserting New Identities

• Experimental art movements from the 1960s onwards questioned the very premises of art-making
  • Deconstructed notions of medium-specificity, originality and artistic skill
  • Contrasted with earlier movements' emphasis on painterly and sculptural traditions
• Feminist artists like Nalini Malani, Navjot Altaf and Nilima Sheikh critiqued the patriarchal nation-state
  • Asserted gendered subjectivities through their work from the 1980s onwards
• Dalit artists like Savi Sawarkar and Malvika Raj Bangar challenged upper-caste dominated "national" art histories
  • Foregrounded the experiences and aesthetics of marginalized communities

Nationalism's Impact on South Asian Art

The Role of Swadeshi Nationalism and Decolonization

• The Bengal School, rooted in Swadeshi nationalism, rejected Western academic realism
  • Favored reviving indigenous Indian artistic traditions
  • Set the stage for later engagements with decolonization and national identity
• The Progressive Artists' Group, while embracing international modernism, sought to create a new Indian art
  • Neither derivative of the West nor nostalgic for pre-colonial traditions
  • Their work often drew on Indian subject matter and sensibilities

Evolving Notions of National and Regional Identities

• Regional identities and vernacular traditions played a key role in figurative movements
  • Contextual Modernism and Baroda Figurative Art drew on local environments, customs, artistic traditions
• The quest for a pan-Indian "national" aesthetic was gradually superseded by an exploration of diverse identities
  • Regional, linguistic, caste and religious identities came to the fore
  • Seen in the narrative figurative works of artists like K.G. Subramanyan and Gulammohammed Sheikh
• Feminist artists critiqued the patriarchal nation-state and asserted gendered subjectivities
  • Nalini Malani, Navjot Altaf, Nilima Sheikh were prominent from the 1980s onwards
• Dalit artists challenged upper-caste dominated "national" art histories
  • Savi Sawarkar and Malvika Raj Bangar foregrounded marginalized communities' experiences and aesthetics

Art Institutions and Patronage in Post-Independence South Asia

State-Run Institutions and International Organizations

• The Lalit Kala Akademi (National Academy of Art), established in 1954, played a key role
  • Organized national art exhibitions, promoted Indian art internationally, provided financial support to artists
• State-run universities were crucibles for new art movements and avant-garde experimentation
  • Notable institutions included the Faculty of Fine Arts in Baroda and the Government College of Art & Craft in Calcutta
• International organizations supported Indian artists and art institutions through grants, exchanges and exhibitions from the 1950s onwards
  • Key players included the Rockefeller Foundation and the British Council
• The Triennale India, established in 1968, was a major international platform for Indian artists
  • Facilitated dialogues with global art practices and markets

Private Galleries, Collectors, and Non-Profit Foundations

• Private art galleries provided crucial spaces for exhibition and patronage, especially for emerging artists and experimental practices
  • Prominent galleries included the Chemould Art Gallery in Bombay and the Dhoomimal Gallery in Delhi
• With economic liberalization from the 1990s onwards, private collectors and auction houses became increasingly important
  • Significantly influenced the production and reception of art in the Indian art market
• The proliferation of non-profit foundations from the 2000s onwards has created new avenues for artistic experimentation and public engagement
  • Notable examples include the Kochi Biennale Foundation and the Devi Art Foundation
  • Operate outside the commercial gallery system to support artists and art practices