‘Art is a mirror of nature’ is one of the oldest philosophical sayings. Aristotle proposed this, which has never actually been contested. Humans cannot be separated from nature. Religion says that people come from soil and become part of it. Leave religion, even though it has some point. Nature remains the main theme and source […]
From Vanishing Villages to Rising Seas: Art and Climate Change Read More »
Picasso was wrong. Or maybe he was being cheeky when he famously proclaimed that “great artists steal”. Yes, Picasso doesn’t just speak. He proclaims. The full quote attributed to him goes: “Good artists copy, great artists steal.” However, art historians have confirmed beyond doubt that Picasso didn’t proclaim that, though he did proclaim a lot
Picasso said “Good artists copy, great artists steal” Here is Why HE WAS WRONG & WHY Read More »
Mughal miniature paintings are a strong layer in Indian miniature paintings. At the same time, the depiction of women in Indian miniature paintings is a matter of critical review. We are now living in a time where its ‘reinterpretations’ provide new perspectives. German thinker Habermas said that representation is the giving of visibility to what
What Do Mughal Miniatures Tell Us About Women? Read More »
Written by Abu Nuwas “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”Soren Kierkegaard In Trikaal, Shyam Benegal’s sombre film on the end of the Portuguese rule in Goa, the tones are dark and melancholic and it is said that Benegal and Ashok Mehta, the brilliant cinematographer, shot some of it in
Cartooning Is Dead: Long Live Mario Miranda Read More »
A leader and father figure to the most marginalized groups of the Indian subcontinent, Dr. B R Ambedkar continues to shape the visual language and voice of resistance of the milieu. On the Day of Baba Saheb’s birth anniversary, let’s look at the myriads of depictions and iconography of Dr. Ambedkar, celebrating the legend.
Picturing Babasaheb: Depictions of Dr B.R. Ambedkar in Visual Art Read More »
The Indian caste apparatus flourished inside the womb of various religions of the Indian subcontinent. Caste practices grow across many religions, like the Sayed-Ajlaf division in Islam; and Jats, Khatris, and Aroras in Sikhism. What is primary to note is that Caste, across all faiths, is a socio-economic practice that creates innate social divisions based
Why is No Dalit Artist on India’s Most Expensive Artists list? Read More »
Written by Myna Mukherjee Musings from a Hospital Room Right now, my two babies, my pets, sit facing the door. Through the distant, unblinking eye of CCTV, I watch them hold their position: expectant, unwavering, and just waiting. As if the act of waiting itself might summon my return. Time gathers strangely around them; it
Waiting Under Systems: A Curator Between the ICU, the Art World, and a World at War Read More »
What does it mean to build meaning in space? Five of India’s most significant curators reflect on the philosophy, process, and persistent challenges that define curatorial work today. R. Siva Kumar One of India’s foremost art historians, R. Siva Kumar (born 1956) has been teaching art history at Kala Bhavana, Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan since 1981, making
The Shape of a Show: India’s Leading Curators on Their Practice Read More »
On February 24, the art world marks the birthday of Winslow Homer, an artist whose work continues to feel startlingly alive more than a century after his death. Born in 1836, Homer painted oceans, wars, and solitary figures with an honesty that resists nostalgia. His seas were never just blue, his landscapes never just beautiful—they
The winds and water of Winslow Homer: The blue that still speaks to us today Read More »
Punch the Monkey, a baby macaque at Japan’s Ichikawa City Zoo, went viral after his mother abandoned him. Viewers connected deeply with clips of the lonely primate clutching a stuffed orangutan toy for comfort, seeing their own isolation reflected in his quiet distress. This digital phenomenon echoes a timeless theme in visual art, where artists
Moved by the Plight of Punch the Monkey? 18 Artworks That Capture Loneliness Read More »
