HYDERABAD : Stalwarts like FN Souza, KCS Paniker, MF Husain, and Laxma Goud have been among India’s most important and famous modern artists, inspiring generations in the realm of contemporary art. Keeping their legacy in mind, the city-based Srishti Art Gallery recently showcased a group art exhibition titled “Arrival,” marking the gallery’s 24th year.
Lakshmi Nambiar, Founder and Art Director of Srishti Art Gallery, emphasises the significance of the show, stating, “Arrival heralds a pivotal moment in contemporary Indian art, spotlighting the rich and diverse talents of South and Central Indian artists. This exhibition aims to rectify historical oversights by celebrating artists whose contributions have been less recognised compared to their counterparts from the North and West of India. It underscores the shift within art circles and auction houses, which increasingly acknowledge the profound depth and creativity found in South Indian artistry. As Srishti enters its 24th year, we proudly embrace not only the contemporary but also the modern, showcasing a curated selection that embodies the essence of arrival in multiple dimensions. The exhibition not only marks the physical manifestation of South Indian artists on the national stage but also signifies the arrival of a new era of inclusivity and appreciation for modernist expressions within Indian art.”
Pioneer all the way
In the galaxy of modern masters, one name that is synonymous with twentieth century Indian art, is MF Husain. Husain earned renown for his paintings of horses, though he became equally well-known for his series on Mother Teresa, or the British Raj, among others. His work reflected the relationship between generations of performers, and he referenced India’s syncretic culture using motifs and figures imbued with mythological meaning to give them a modern makeover in keeping with prevalent art practices. His artwork titled Arrival, acrylic on canvas is quintessential Husain — bold stokes and colour — all in one.
Impressionism
Inspired by the Sri Lankan philosopher Ananda Coomaraswamy’s discourses, Kattingeri Krishna Hebbar began exploring his creativity through the traditional Indian art found in Jain manuscripts, Rajput and Mughal miniatures, and the Ajanta frescos, harmoniously blending it with surrealism and abstraction in his work. His untitled artwork on folk dance done in gouache and watercolour on paper pasted on mountboard is one such example on display.
Widely feted artist
Francis Newton Souza found his own blunt, extreme style by combining the expressionism of Rouault and Soutine with the spirit of cubism and the sculptures of classical Indian tradition. He combined fierce lines with cruel humour. Nudes, landscapes, and portraits — he painted in every style and in every medium, even inventing ‘chemical alterations’, a method of drawing with the use of chemical solvent on a printed page without destroying the glossy surface. This helped him to experiment with the layering of multiple imagery. His Two’s for Tennis artwork on display is a great example of chemical alteration on magazine paper pasted on paper which he did in 1970.
Spearheading movement
KCS Paniker, a towering personality in the world of Indian modern art, is remembered most for spearheading the Madras Art Movement and founding the Cholamandal Artists’ Village on the outskirts of Madras in 1966. Drawn to the academic style in his early career, he renounced it in favour of indigenous styles and contexts to revolutionise painting methodologies in the art college, also setting up an artists’ commune that continues to thrive in Chennai. His investigation into local calligraphy and metaphysical abstraction formed the basis of his mature art, resulting in his well-known series, Words and Symbols. His artwork titled Lalbagh done in 1950 with watercolour and graphite on paper is on display at the exhibition.
Self-taught maverick
A self-taught artist, Krishnaji Howlaji Ara, was born in Secunderabad and grew up in adverse conditions and was imprisoned for participating in Gandhi’s Salt Satyagraha movement. In his art practice, Ara neither wished to shock with raw eroticism as Souza did, nor did he want to revisit folk art in the manner of Husain. He was a modernist for whom the form and language of art preceded all other social and political motivations. His art was always intuitive, imaginative, spontaneous and improvised and not deliberate or intellectual. This evolved a certain eclecticism which was neither imitative nor derivative but led him on an exploration of style on a kind of rambling journey. He evolved his trademark style — especially his robust nudes and still-life paintings — that is ineffably marked by a life-affirming zeitgeist.
Hyderabad gem
A master draughtsman, Laxma Goud has excelled in a variety of mediums — watercolour, gouache, dry pastels, clay, and metal. His untitled graphite on paper artwork on display, even though done in 1990, it is still vibrant and alive due to the human expressions and mannerisms.
