Loading...
Masterpieces from the Madras School of Art

Start Date : 14 November 2024

End Date : 17 November 2024

Location : Booth 11 | Art Mumbai | Mahalaxmi Racecourse Mumbai



The years following Independence marked a resurgence of the human form in the artworks produced in Madras. The manner in which the human form emerged and its visual vocabulary were symptomatic of the larger forces that shaped the artistic terrain of the city. At the center of these developments was the century-old School of Arts and Crafts, which followed a pedagogy that emphasized “craft” over “fine art.” This shifted in 1930 when Bengali sculptor D.P. Roy Chowdhury became the principal. Under his tutelage, artists emerged who became known for their prowess in watercolor landscape painting and in the naturalistic portrayal of the human form through painting and sculpture.

The 1950s introduced another aesthetic shift in the region. On one hand, the post-Independence era brought with it a search for identity. On the other, there was increasing exposure to national and international ideas of modernity. Madras artists responded to these intellectual currents by declaring their intention to create art that was “Indian in spirit and worldwide contemporary.

The modernist art movement that consequently emerged in 1960s Madras eschewed the naturalistic portrayal of form in favor of an expressive language that foregrounded the line, the quintessential aspect of Indian art, and embraced non-illusionistic surfaces. Artists interpreted these ideas of linearity and volume not only through indigenous artistic sources, such as kolams, yantras, folk paintings, and temple sculpture, but also through references to global developments such as Greenbergian modernism.

In Masterpieces from the Madras School of Art, we trace the evolution of this movement—from the naturalistic expressions of the early Madras masters to the bold, evocative lines drawn from indigenous traditions, which now characterize the works of contemporary artists who have ventured into abstraction. This exhibition assembles an extraordinary selection of large-scale works, rare in their scale and ambition, representing the pinnacle of each artist’s creative journey. Generations of Madras-trained artists, each driven by a commitment to create something distinct, whether in art or craft, have made a lasting impact on both Indian and global art. This exhibition celebrates the legacy and continuing influence of the Madras School, showcasing works that embody the unique synthesis of tradition and modernity that has defined this artistic lineage.

Let's stay connected!

Join our mailing list for updates

×
register
×
Request Info