A touch of Tagore

Artists interpret Tagore and his ideology in their own inimitable style as part of a unique exhibition

Rarely has an artist inspired such fervent devotion as Rabindranath Tagore. The diverse hues of his personality and his ideology of universalism make his creations relevant even in the modern context. It is to celebrate his principles of humanism and to commemorate his 150th birth anniversary that auction house Art Bull India has organised an exhibition titled 'Tagore: Lost and Found'.

In keeping with Tagore's belief in transcending borders, artists dabbling in varied art forms, ranging from folklore to photography, have been invited to participate in the exhibition. "We were clear to the artists that don't do portraits of Tagore, rather interpret his poems and ideology," says Siddhartha Tagore, director, Art Bull India. So one can find works by Arpana Caur, Jayasri Burman, Hema Upadhyay, Jaideep Mehrotra, Nayanaa Kanodia, Manisha Bhattacharya and Shilpa Gupta sharing space at this unique showcase curated by Bina Sarkar Ellias, editor and publisher of Gallerie magazine.

The idea for such an exhibition began to take form when Ellias was working on a Bengal-centric magazine issue. "Bengalis worship Tagore so intently, almost as if from the womb," laughs Ellias, "but do we really understand his ideas of universalism? We sing the national anthem but we don't really practice it. My critique also includes Mamata Banerjee who blares Tagore's songs at traffic junctions over the cacophony of car horns. It is a disservice to the poet." She shared her thoughts with some leading artists and soon preparations for the exhibition were underway.

Each artist has re-interpreted a different aspect of Tagore's personality that has inspired him or her the most. So you have a triptych by Mumbai-based artist Hema Upadhyay inspired by the poem 'Where the Mind is Without Fear'. "This was Tagore's idea of the 'new nation'. He had a vision of a leading nation, free of oppression from the British, from caste, creed and religion; a nation with courage and knowledge," she says. Her work illustrates how the meaning of the poem has changed over a period of time.

Some artists have taken an inspiration from Tagore's belief that love is the only truth in life. Burman, for instance, has brought life to this philosophy in her evocative watercolours. A former student of Santiniketan's Kala Bhavana, Burman feels that Tagore's poems literally flow in her blood. "There is a lovely poem by him which talks about how love transcends the physical plane. The birds in my artwork are a symbol of love, peace and harmony. They also depict the beautiful bond shared by the man and the woman," she explains.

For others, their creations stem from a personal relationship they share with Tagore's work. Bhattacharya is one such artist, for whom Tagore's music has been a constant companion. "Once I was sitting on a beach in Pondicherry with a bottle of beer and listening to his music. And it struck me that Tagore would never have dreamed of something like this. This was not how women in his time behaved. The dichotomy of it all was interesting," she says. So when the proposal for the exhibition came up, Bhattacharya couldn't wait to pay tribute to Tagore's music. "I realised that his music has a calming effect in this aggressive urban metropolis." So you have a transistor, a book and a chair positioned against the backdrop of skyscrapers. "It is like being transported to a world where we are not fighting the external but are at peace with the external," says Bhattacharya.

Each time an artist approaches Tagore's work, a new meaning, a new understanding of art and humanity is unraveled. "Each time I go through his vast body of work, I see things in a different perspective. A wealth of knowledge unfolds before me. A new thought process sets in and new ideas spring forth in my paintings," says Kanodia who has paid a tribute to the multi-faceted personality of Tagore in her artwork.