HYPERALLERGIC
By Sharmistha Ray
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| F. N. Souza, “Mithuna” (“Lovers”) (1949), oil on board |
At the dawn of a new Indian nation in 1947, a country awoke from its long colonial slumber to confront the challenges of Independence. The departure of the British and the ensuing bloodbath of Partition witnessed the formation of two nations built along religious fault lines, India and Pakistan. This new India necessitated a new art that broke free of the reins of the British Raj and spoke in the grand rhetoric of the newly formed Republic. A current show The Progressive Revolution: Modern Art for a New India at the Asia Society Museum provides a compelling narrative for the parallel constructions of the Indian nation, the trauma of Partition and the formation of its artistic identity. [
More]
Asia Society Museum: "The Progressive Revolution: Modern Art for a New India" (Through January 20, 2019); 725 Park Ave, Upper East Side, NYC; 212-288-6400 ; asiasociety.org
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| F. N. Souza, “Self-Portrait” (1949), oil on board (all images courtesy Asia Society Museum) |
