Pictorial Glimpses
Cultural identities intermingle and transform
themselves creating an absolutely distinctive
ethos. Interestingly this does not happen to
concepts alone, but manifests itself through the
individualistic usage of the pictorial language.
This invariably works towards larger conceptual
issues and many a times in search for a creative
persona. This series of interactions and
dialogues can be best read and deciphered in a
non-verbal fashion and present us many new ways
of seeing and perceiving them.
The present exhibition is one such way of
perceiving and enjoying the innate pictorial
quality that the images possess and present,
which forms part of the collection of this
museum. Historicity is important, but it works
with the pictorial to provide interactive
insights leading to visual delights.
National Gallery of Modern Art has undertaken to
present in a perceptive fashion a part of the
strong collection of over fifteen thousand works
that the museum possesses. The attempt is to
invite the attention of the audiences in other
parts of the country to a wider taste of the
vast repository of this museum, from varied
viewpoints and perspectives.
The Exhibition records the quest for modernism,
and the use of an abstract language in the
1960's and 70's. The exhibition presents the
artist's adaptation to abstraction with distinct
western and Indian elements. The exhibition also
highlights some of the contentious issues that
art has raised or sought to resolve in the
contemporary period.
The selection showcases the works of some of the
most reputed names in the field of Modern and
Contemporary Art including Anjolie Ela Menon,
Bikas Bhattacharjee, Bhupen Khakhar, Krishen
Khanna, J. Swaminathan, M.F. Husain, Satish
Gujral, Ram Kumar, Mann Parekh of our present
times including artists like K.H. Ara, P.T.
Reddy, S.B. Palsikar, Binode Behari Mukherjee,
Sailoz Mukherjee, Ramkinker Baij, J.P. Ganguly,
Antonio Xavior, K.C.S. Panicker, who have
contributed to the making of Modem Art. The
contribution of people like M.F. Pithawala,
Ramkinker Vaij, M.A.R. Chughtai, A.A. Almelkar,
N.S. Bendre, Rasik Raval, Jerarn Patel, Himmat
Shah have also been included in the cross
section.
This Exhibition, I am confident would help in
creating a larger understanding of our times.
Through this we can acknowledge the
contributions of those times and genres that
have helped us to arrive at the present context
of creative art practices.
PROF. RAJEEV LOCHAN
Director
National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi
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