A new exhibition will showcase the influence of colours in the art practices of over 90 artists
Cocks on the Table by Ramkinker Baij
Colour is the most obvious concept that pops into people’s heads when they think of art, argues Shatadeep Maitra, project manager at art company DAG. “The colour blue in particular is very significant to this part of the subcontinent. It’s the colour of the skin of Hindu gods like Vishnu and Krishna. Blue is a colour that throughout history has symbolised concepts like purity,” he shares. Blue was a prominent hue that cropped up around the era of the Indus Valley Civilisation, when the cultivation of the indigo plant first began. Post Independence, the colour became associated with political sentiments and the idea of freedom. For Maitra, it was the obvious choice to draw inspiration from, when it came to curating DAG’s latest exhibition, Indian Blue.
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Untitled by Jamini Roy
The collection, which went on display virtually on October 10, showcases artworks of 90 artists from across disciplines and explores the nuances of the colour and its significance to the fabric of the country of India. “With this exhibition we wanted to focus on this particular colour, and do it in a way that sheds some light on history as well. When colonisation happened, several European artists came to India and documented the land.
Untitled by Gogi Saroj Pal
In several landscape artworks, you can see blue as the colour of the skies or of running water,” he adds. Maitra also explains that post Independence art moved towards the direction of abstraction as it grew to be more symbolic in nature. Through this exhibition, he hopes to showcase the journey of this colour through time, across different eras and art landscapes. The collection also features an iconic painting (untitled and rare) by artist Jamini Roy.
Landscape by FN Souza
“It was a great find. It’s not an accidental work of art, as his signature appears to be carefully done on the work. It’s one of the most special additions to the collections,” says Maitra.
Other artists showcased include Nandalal Bose, Nicholas Roerich, FN Souza, MF Husain and Gogi Saroj Pal. Also part of the line-up is artist Shobha Broota, with her work titled Origin. “Much like my previous work, I have placed what pleases me onto the canvas. I pick up and add ideas in a way that they become art. My work is very spontaneous,” shares Broota, about her contribution.
Shatadeep Maitra
All artworks in the exhibition are up for viewing on DAG’s website till December 1. “It’s an exhibition idea that we don’t explore very often. This effort is to showcase how important the value of colour is, not just in art but in several avenues,” concludes Maitra.
Till: December 1
Log on to: dagworld.com/Indian_Blue/
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