ART
foreign ambassadors If you’re looking to see some great Indian art this winter, head right over to America, says ALLIE BISWAS
The contemporary
At San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, you’ll find ‘The Matter Within: New Contemporary Art Of India’. The group exhibit coincides with ‘Maharaja’, a show about the culture of India’s royalty at the San Francisco Asian Art Museum. Also on is a display of photography and video from the South Asian diaspora at San Francisco State University’s gallery. ‘The Matter Within’ shows the work of performance artist Nikhil Chopra, sculptor Rina Banerjee and photographers Bharat Sikka and Dhruv Malhotra. “It’s amazing how much interest there is in Indian art in Europe,” says Betti-Sue Hertz, director of visual arts at the YBCA. “This excitement is just starting to catch on in the US.” Go for: Installations by Thukral and Tagra; performances by Nikhil Chopra. ‘The Matter Within’ is on till January 29, 2012; Ybca.org
The curious
W
hile the public display of Indian art in America has been growing steadily, the latter half of 2011 makes it clear that American interest in our visual culture has definitely peaked. A range of exhibitions showcase art from India, including works you may not have seen back home.
The classic
New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art sets the stage with ‘Wonder Of The Age: Master Painters Of India, 1100-1900’. Exploring Indian painting over eight centuries, the show seeks to present a clear chronology through 40 of India’s most important artists in history. Indian painting has traditionally been classified according to regions or dynasties; ‘Wonder
152 vogue india noveMBeR 2011 www.vogue.in
The Brooklyn Museum tries something different with ‘Split Second: Indian Paintings’. Some 4,000 on display online participants were shown From top: Works that will be shown two randomly generated paintat the Met, the ings side by side and were given YBCA and the Brooklyn Museum four seconds to pick one. They were then asked detailed questions about the works. ‘Split Second’ showcases the ones that generated the most compelling responses and explores Of The Age’ instead how our initial reaccelebrates the practition to a work of art is tioners responsible for affected by what we stylistic shifts in each know and what we’re period. Of the 220 told about the object in works, rare pieces question. The newest have been borrowed works date from the from the Bodleian Li19th century. Joan brary in Oxford and Cummins, who is the the Oriental Institute Lisa and Bernard Selz in St Petersburg. John curator of Asian art, Guy, curator of South co-organised the show Asian Art at the Met, and explains that Indian paintings were says that “contemporary Indian art colchosen because, “We didn’t want people lecting has come of age, and rightly so. It to recognise images as famous and therenow needs to find its place alongside oldfore give them higher scores.” er forms of artistic expression.” Go for: Ancient art in a new avatar. Go for: 800 years of Indian art. ‘Split Second’ is on till January 1, 2012; ‘Wonder Of The Age’ is on till January 8, 2012; Brooklynmuseum.org n Metmuseum.org