For a current dialogue

Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS, formerly Prince of Wales Museum) is showcasing the wonderful India & the World: A History in Nine Stories exhibition (till February 18, 2017), a collaboration that connects some of the most iconic works of art from the Indian subcontinent alongside works from the collection of the British Museum. Consisting of sculptures, icons, textiles, painted fabrics, pots, edicts, coins, seals, jewellery, armour, miniature paintings and the like, its dialogue is almost completely connected with the ancient, or antique. Therefore, an exception such as L N Tallur’s Unicode stands out for its ability to take a well-known Chola bronze (the familiar Nataraja) and transform it into a work of contemporary art imbued with significance given the global nature of the exhibition.

What it also does, as a result, is hold up a mirror to the lacunae, in India, of museum exchanges between it and the rest of the world, especially when it comes to modern and contemporary art. India’s ancient art treasures have found homes in museums around the world with collections and objects taken out during the long course of colonial rule, allowing curators to establish relationships in studying and displaying them as part of conversations based on various themes and curatorial premises. Indian modern and contemporary art has been less fortunate on that account, remaining known — and, therefore, privileged — by very few. The result is an insulting absence when it comes to such exhibitions, bar a Nasreen   Mohamedi or V S Gaitonde retrospective in New York, a Bhupen Khakhar exhibition in London, and an attempt to hang Pablo Picasso’s and F N Souza’s drawing beside each other in New Delhi — so few, in fact, that one can count such exhibitions on the fingers of one’s hands, and have several fingers left over. 

To a huge degree, this can be explained as the government’s absenteeism from a space it should have occupied by having national pavilions at events such as the Venice Biennale, creating dialogues between the National Gallery of Modern Art and museums around the world, or simply bringing art into the domain of cultural exchanges with countries with which it is keen to forge trade and other agreements. Nations around the world are proud if its artists; in India, it seems as if they don’t exist at all. Our Lalit Kala Akademis are allowed to languish for most part, with the exception of those few powered by motivated heads. Any talk of providing a fillip to tribal and folk art is an apologue unless it is equated with and fostered beside its contemporary peers.

Just as important as having Indian artists exhibited internationally, there is a need to have artists from outside the country shown in India, whether on their own, as independent exhibitions, or, more importantly, as part of curated exhibitions alongside the works of Indian artists, to create a dialogue of the kind that is currently being undertaken at CSMVS. Why is it that creating such negotiations is easy when it comes to medieval and ancient art but not its contemporary avatars?

While the government naps over such opportunities, it is time for individuals and private players to forge and seed these relationships. The current drought of Indian modern art internationally presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Typically, such exhibitions at museums or at foundations led by philanthropists take a number of years to seed and take off, demanding patience and perseverance. Without state support, the initial thrust might be difficult, but there is no doubt that these will see light of day and bear fruit. Whether the Indian art industry — a term that can, at best, be used loosely — approaches this cohesively, or individually, the gains will impact everyone associated with it. Reason enough to rise to the challenge.
 

Kishore Singh is a Delhi-based writer and art critic. These views are personal and do not reflect those of the organisation with which he is associated