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The Hindu
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Why many Indian galleries are focusing on older artists now
Late last year, Amitava Das held a solo show in New Delhi, In Another Time That Is Now, featuring a wide range of works spanning his career — from early pieces dating back to the 1960s to more recent works created in 2015. The show was held in collaboration with Shrine Empire Gallery and Art Exposure Gallery. This March, Subcontinent, an art gallery in Mumbai's Fort district, opened its doors with a show of the late Haku Shah's work, highlighting seven decades of his artistic journey. 'Frequently told stories form the mainstream narrative. Our focus is on overlooked art histories,' says Keshav Mahendru, co-founder of the gallery. While the last decade has seen an unprecedented focus on emerging and early-career visual artists — with the launch of opportunities such as residencies and scholarships, new awards and grants, and even galleries looking to induct fresh talent to their respective rosters — there has been a recent shift across institutions and the commercial gallery ecosystem. There is now an active interest in exhibiting established and late-career artists. From retrospectives to large exhibitions, galleries are celebrating senior artists, whether they are retired, still in practice or even deceased. What is driving this departure? We speak to leading museums and galleries. 'Amitava's visual language is philosophical, poetic, and introspective, like that of many artists we work with, especially those whose practices reflect memory, perception, and the human condition'Anahita TanejaCo-founder, Shrine Empire Gallery. Das is the first artist of his generation to be represented by them. An intergenerational approach 'Many late-career artists were pioneers. By revisiting their practices, we acknowledge their contributions,' says Isheta Salgaocar, advisor and patron of Sunaparanta Goa Centre for the Arts. 'For instance, the Cholamandal Artist Village is a seminal part of our modern art history, and we recognise the importance of such collectives in shaping alternative art discourses.' Some galleries, such as Bengaluru-based Museum for Art and Photography (MAP), are taking an intergenerational approach. 'Our curatorial approach is to connect historical practices with the present,' says founder Abhishek Poddar. MAP showcased the work of Meera Mukherjee and Jaidev Baghel, two significant figures of India's modern art history, complementing it with a photo essay by contemporary photographer Jaisingh Nageswaran. 'This created an added layer for audiences to connect with one or the other,' says Poddar. New Delhi-based Exhibit 320, known for supporting emerging and mid-career voices, creates space for senior artists whose practices offer depth and continuity. 'We have shown the works of Gopi Gajwani, and recently showcased the art of Devraj Dakoji to build on the intergenerational dialogue,' says Rasika Kajaria, founder of the gallery. Latitude 28, New Delhi, exhibits work of senior practitioners alongside younger artists to trace interconnections in the evolution of artistic languages. They also hold solo shows, like that of Jyoti Bhatt. 'He has been a defining element in art historical narratives and continues to influence the artistic and cultural milieu,' says Bhavna Kakar, founder of the gallery. Early supporters The Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA), New Delhi, is committed to showcasing diverse voices and perspectives in its exhibitions. 'We were among the first to present retrospective exhibitions of artists such as Himmat Shah, Jeram Patel, Rameshwar Broota, and Arpita Singh. Their artistic practices have been under-represented in the larger artistic discourse,' says Roobina Karode, director and chief curator, KNMA. Many of these voices illuminate seminal moments that have shaped subsequent creative practices. For instance, Patel used a blowtorch to burn wood in his art works, while Shah explored ideas and concepts through terracotta sculptures. Nature Morte in New Delhi has been identified with young and emerging artists since its inception in 1997. 'But, from 1997-2003, we included works of F.N. Souza, Bhupen Khakhar, Himmat Shah, Zarina Hashmi, Krishna Reddy, and Nasreen Mohammedi in group shows. We started working with Mona Rai and Mrinalini Mukherjee in 2004,' says Peter Nagy, co-founder of the gallery. Continued relevance in current times Poddar says they exhibit works, which serve as entry points into larger conversations about identity, society, and change. 'Even when artists explore themes rooted in the past, the questions they raise remain relevant today,' he shares. Practices like those of Haku Shah deal with the timeless questions of life, such as love, and humanity. 'His works are rooted, deep, and honest, and will always be relevant,' says Dhwani Gudka, co-founder, Subcontinent. Nagy says that Manu Parekh's recent solo show was inspired by sacred rituals, primarily Hindu, which take place even today. Parekh gained prominence in 2022 through a collaboration with the House of Dior. A series of 22 artworks, featuring imagery from paintings by Manu and his wife Madhvi, served as a floor-to-ceiling backdrop for Dior's spring/summer runway show at Paris Haute Couture Week. These artistic practices are not relics of history, but persistent within our contemporary social and cultural fabric, adds Salgaocar. 'Such works invite reflection on how the past continues to inform our current social and political realities,' she says. Easy entry points To explain the recent interest in senior artists, some art experts point to the growing fatigue with the approaches of contemporary and younger artists, where the focus is on making their work concept-laden. Senior artists also have a huge inventory to offer because a lot of work has not been in circulation. Price points for their works range from ₹1 lakh to ₹5 lakh for smaller paper works or editions, to ₹50 lakh for mid-sized paintings. Some of the more significant and larger-scale works, such as that of Manu Parekh, could be priced at over ₹1 crore. Similarly, Dakoji's practice offers a lens through which to view the past as a living, breathing influence on the present. Kajaria feels that his works explore memory and migration, which remain relevant today. 'Dakoji's practice is rooted in history yet alive with inquiry that complements the experimental spirit we value,' says Kajaria. The culture writer is based in Delhi.
Gulf Today
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Art Dubai opens 2025 edition with garland of curated initiatives
Art Dubai, one of the Middle East's leading international art fairs, has opened its 2025 edition (Apr.18 - 20, previews on Apr. 16,17) at Madinat Jumeirah, its traditional home. The fair is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. This year's programme features over 120 gallery presentations drawn from 65 cities and five continents, alongside a programme of commissions and installations, talks, conferences and special events. The leading commercial platform for art and artists from lesser-represented geographies since its foundation in 2007, Art Dubai strives to be a model that is a catalyst and engine for the growth of Dubai's cultural scene and creative economy. At the presser announcing the opening, Pablo del Val, Art Dubai's Artistic Director, said that 'this year's line-up reflects the rapid maturing of the cultural scene in the Gulf region. Dubai is a unique, global city - one which is home to communities and peoples from all over the world, with different languages and traditions and, as we approach our twentieth year, the fair has become the main platform and commercial marketplace for galleries and artists from these scenes and geographies. We are proud to champion these voices, supporting a more diverse and global art world.' Artwork at Sevil Dolmaci Gallery. Exhibitors include those taking part in Art Dubai's Contemporary, Bawwaba, Modern and Digital sections. 30 first-time participants and the geographic breadth of the exhibitor line-up can be said to be a reflection of Art Dubai's role as a gateway for discovery, learning and exchange, as well as a projection of its commitment to showcasing art and artists from less-represented geographies. Continued strong representation from artists and art centres across the Middle East, the African continent, and West and South Asia, is being witnessed at the fair. The evolving expansion and development of Dubai's cultural scene and the city's status as the Gulf region's financial and commercial hub, is also mirrored in the number of Dubai-based exhibitors (over 20) and a growing number of Emirati, UAE and GCC-based artists at the fair. MUST: Baaraan Ijlal's artwork at Shrine Empire Gallery. It is part of Art Dubai's mandate to place untold and understated regional art histories and initiate dialogue between global art movements. Each year invites international academics, art historians, well-known international and regional curators to curate and oversee specific sections of the fair. Bawwaba features gallery presentations of artworks made in the past year or specifically for Art Dubai, showcasing artists who hail from across the Global South. The 2025 edition is curated by writer and curator-at-large at Kunsthaus Zürich, Mirjam Varadinis. Many of her projects address developing formats of contemporary curating, asking the question: 'How can we imagine new forms of coexistence, both amongst people and with our planet?' The section shows artists who reflect on their own displacement in the current climate, imagining new models of living together. Art Dubai Modern features presentations by the region's Modern masters, exploring art historical research and under-investigated art histories. It is curated by Magalí Arriola and Nada Shabout, and features nine presentations that look into common concerns and empathies between West Asia and North Africa. Highlights include presentations by New Vision Group; Bertina Lopes; and Mehdi Moutashar. For the first time, Art Dubai Modern expands its remit to include Latin America, with the inclusion of Venezuelan artist, Darío Pérez Flores. Installation by Ouchhh. Art Dubai Digital is dedicated to the pioneering artists, collectives, galleries and platforms who are shaping the contemporary digital art world. The fourth edition this year is curated by Gonzalo Herrero Delicado. It is titled 'After the Technological Sublime', and features presentations that examine how artists and creative practitioners are working with advanced technologies – including artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality – to interrogate the key environmental, social and political challenges of the time. Art Dubai Digital is complemented by an annual Digital Summit, presented in strategic partnership with Dubai Culture that convenes international and local industry leaders to discuss and debate the expanding digital art ecosystem and Dubai's place in it. The fair is also providing significant commissioning opportunities for local and international artists; convening the world's brightest creative minds through innovative talks and conference programming; and supporting scholarship and professional development programmes to develop the region's future cultural leaders. Highlights also include a new series of performances and sculptural installations with Mexico-based artist Hector Zamora, inaugurating a new co-commissioning partnership between Art Dubai and Alserkal Avenue; a major new digital commission by Emirati artist Mohammed Kazem, presented by Julius Baer; and experiential installations by leading international artists including Breakfast, Ouchhh Studio and Ania Soliman. Talks and conference programmes take place across five days of the fair. They include the two-day Global Art Forum, commissioned by Shumon Basar and curated by Y7 under the title The New New Normal. It features many of the world's foremost thinkers, technologists, artists and forecasters, who examine how 'change keeps changing'. Further highlights include a series of Collector, Artist and Art Dubai Modern Talks, as well as the second edition of Art Dubai's Digital Summit. Art Dubai is held in partnership with A.R.M. Holding and is sponsored by Swiss Wealth Manager, Julius Baer. The Watch and Jewellery partner is Piaget while culturally driven lifestyle developer HUNA, is a partner of Art Dubai. Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) is the strategic partner of Art Dubai and Art Dubai Digital.
