Indian Divine: Gods and Goddesses in 20th Century Modern Art explores the sheer enormity of art a subject which has inspired from the earliest of times. To the present-day, gods have been propitiated, worshipped, cajoled and given a primal place in the lives of Indians. Their prominent place in our public and collective space has ensured their ubiquitous presence in art as well over time.
The featured works range from the lyrical imagery of the Bengal School, as represented by the historical Siva Drinking World Poison by Nandalal Bose, to modern renditions of the devi and popular episodes from myth and epics, such as the Mahabharata, from all parts of the country and spanning a diverse range of styles over the eventful 20th century and early 21stcentury. These include images of the female goddess, the most popular of whom is Durga, as imagined and portrayed by such modernist masters as Bikash Bhattacharjee, Ganesh Pyne, M. F. Husain, K. K. Hebbar, as well as several renditions of popular male deities, such as Krishna and Ganesha, by artists such as Rabin Mondal and P. V. Janakiram. The exhibition features a number of works on Christian themes and imagery, led by the first Indian artist to have explored the theme, Jamini Roy. Heis followed by well-known artists such as Krishen Khanna, F. N. Souza, Madhvi Parekh, Kanwal Krishna, S. Dhanapal, and V. Nageshkar, as well as a great number of works on Buddhist themes that span time and diverse art styles. While the draw of the icon is strong, many Indian artists also responded to the theme in languages of minimalism and abstraction, producing sublime works to meditate upon, including a number of tantra works – by artists such as G. R. Santosh, Sohan Qadri, P. T. Reddy, Sunil Das and many others.
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