Grosvenor Vadehra presents 'Progressive to Altermodern: 62 Years of Indian Modern Art 1947-2009'.
The Progressive artists group, founded in 1947, fought against political and social contradictions they faced before independence and this was seen clearly through their art. At that stage the artists were focused on defining their identity once British rule ended and tried hard to escape from a struggled past; Now, with globalisation, migration, and hyper-technology artists are having to re-establish their identity in an 'altermodern' world, defined by Nicholas Bourriaud as a new modernity which is emerging.
The selected artists in this show, display works ranging over a span of 62 years. It showcases the Indian artist who was trying to break free from the anguish and despair of the past, to the artist who is now struggling to keep up with the rapid pace in which its' country is now moving forward. It was the Progressives, who helped newer talent to emerge and the current artists do in some way owe their expression of talent to many of the earlier artists from the past.
It is an interesting exhibition; a visual voyage through a passage of history in the world of Indian art - displaying how it has changed over the years, and most importantly how it is breaking waves for its' future.
"Artists are looking for a new modernity that would be based on translation: What matters today is to translate the cultural values of cultural groups and to connect them to the world network. This "reloading process" of modernism according to the twenty-first-century issues could be called altermodernism, a movement connected to the creolisation of cultures and the fight for autonomy, but also the possibility of producing singularities in a more and more standardized world."
Nicholas Bourriaud
