Prague Biennale 5: “India is no longer Indian”

Present yourself in three sentences.

Although an artist myself, I was always intrigued by the way the art industry functioned. After completing my post graduation in the history of the art market and connoisseurship in art of the West, I practiced with established galleries, curators and artists and veterans around the world to acquire first hand knowledge and learning experience. I am honored to be curating the India Pavilion for the fifth edition of the Prague Biennale.

Present the works that you curate at the Prague Biennale?

There are 22 Indian contemporary artists who I have selected to participate in the exhibition. The selection involves established as well as emerging artists who have been producing cutting edge and conceptual works, compounded with several materials and visual languages. They interpret social and economic currents, which question the prevailing issues and are laden with philosophical adaptations of the truth as they see it. Each of the artists selected in this exhibition interpret their intimate perception through a myriad of profound visual languages. From social concerns to personal expression, the artists continue to delve into the labyrinths of their processes to participate and contribute their aesthetic, engaging themselves within the global sphere on equal terms.

Can you explain the main theme?

The title of the exhibition is “Crossroads: India escalate”. A crossroads is "An intersection of two roads, a place where ideas, both physical and abstract converge or diverge." This juncture is a threshold for anyone to make the decisions that lead to transformation, aware of what is left behind and what is to come.

The main underlying theme of the exhibition is to expose the fact that the shift in contemporary art and culture practices in India in the last few years is the sheer evidence of the changing mindset of the country and have become a paradigm for the standing of Indian art internationally. India has been undergoing a global metamorphosis, and has stirred all areas including economy, culture, business and education. This significant change reflects the escalating nature of the nation and the way it is perceived by the rest of the world. Artists have been boldly inspired by this very transformation. The have been listening, questioning and observing this phenomenon and have developed an aesthetic through which they are documenting it.

How come that one does not hear so much of Indian contemporary artists in Europe?

Indian contemporary art is yet emerging into the international sphere. In Europe, there are very few established artists like Subodh Gupta, Jitish Kallat who are recognized through their iconic work and are represented by well-esteemed galleries. The younger artists are not popular yet. I hope the selection of the artists for the India Pavilion can raise the platform for the emerging artists from the Sub-Continent.

What characterizes contemporary Indian artists, what kind of themes are they interested in?

Indian art roots from ancient culture, which was dedicated to immortal gods and mortal kings. Modern art in India emerged in the early twentieth century and has paved its way into contemporary times, questioning the cultural foundation at many levels. India is no longer “Indian”. The ‘progressive’ nature of the work within the present time is influenced by issues of sexuality, rural and urban settings, ideas of mortality, politics, and religion. It reflects the socio-cultural as well as individual context within which each of them operates, and this becomes the basis of their visuals. The introduction to new media (installation, video, performance and photography) and technology has become a threshold for artists to analyze their contexts further, and to play with complex materials that create alternate creative strategies.

What is the place, the interest for contemporary art in the Indian society?

India contemporary art is gradually acquiring an important role within the cultural realm. From cinema to fashion to art, there is a flow of amalgamated ideas and concepts that are becoming the way of life for the youth. There are several young collectors, critics and art enthusiasts who support and propagate the genre.