DOCSLIB.ORG

Ode to a Master Precious Is the Life of Those Whose Creations Kindle Life in Others

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Ode to a Master Precious Is the Life of Those Whose Creations Kindle Life in Others Ode to a Master Precious is the life of those whose creations kindle life in others Painter, sculptor, muralist, K. G. Subramanyan was among the few artists who have explored the possibilities of modern art from a different perspective, giving new dimensions to the human figure by making them appear more as characters from various myths and traditional narratives, populating a composition quite the contrary. As an artist he was extraordinarily versatile, cherishing the facility to work in diverse media, sizes, and techniques over a stylistic conformity to a single medium, genre, size, technique, and K. G. Subramanyan manner of visualization. 1924-2016 Born on 15 February, 1924 in in a village in north Kerala, Subramanyan attended the Presidency College, Madras and became involved in the freedom struggle. He was imprisoned and debarred from government colleges. The turning point of his life came when he joined Kala Bhavan at Visva Bharati in Santiniketan in 1944. He studied under the tutelage of Benode Behari Mukherjee, Nandalal Bose and Ramkinkar Baij at Santiniketan. He graduated from Kala Bhavan, Visva Bharati University, there in 1948 after receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the Presidency College in Madras. Between 1951 and 1959, Subramanyan was a lecturer in painting at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Baroda. During 1955 Low Relief and 1956, he went to the Slade School of Art in London to Terracotta, 64 x 64 cm study as a British Council research scholar. From 1959 to 1961, Subramanyan was deputy director (design) at All India Handloom Board, Bombay. He continued to be a design consultant till 1966. He went back to Baroda as reader in painting between 1961 and 1965. From 1966 to 1980, Subramanyan was professor of painting at Baroda. He went to New York as J D Rockefeller fellow during 1966 and 1967. From 1968 to 1974, he acted as the dean of the faculty of fine arts, Baroda. In 1975 and 1976, he attended World Craft council meets as a delegate. In 1976, he was a visiting lecturer at various Canadian universities. In 1980 Subramanyan moved back to Santiniketan and till 1989 was professor of painting at Kala Bhavan. During 1987 and The Visitors | 1996 1988, he lived at Oxford as Christensen Fellow in St. Acrylic on canvas, 57.7" x 57" Source: www.saffronart.com & www.contemporaryindianart.com Catherine's College. In 1989, he was appointed professor emeritus at Kala Bhavan, Visva Bharati. Subramanyan’s work has been exhibited in over fifty solo shows, the most natable including those presented by Seagull Foundation for the Arts in collaboration with Nandan Gallery at Kala Bhavana, Kolkata, in 2009; ‘The Painted Platters’ at the Guild Art Gallery, Mumbai, in 2007; and ‘The Magic of Making’ at the Seagull Arts and Media Resource Centre, Kolkata, and Rabindra Bhavan, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, also in 2007. Odd encounters | 1996 Acrylic on canvas, 56" x 57" A prolific writer, scholar, teacher and art historian, Subramanyan used his in-depth knowledge time and again to blur the boundaries between art and the artisan. He dabbled in glass painting and toy making, even weaving, which is generally considered ‘artisanal’. He also reinvested several mediums earlier used in Indian art. A theoretician and art historian, Subramanyan wrote extensively on Indian art. His writings form a foundation for the study of contemporary Indian art. Even in his written works, the exploration of art as a language or means of communication is a recurring theme. He also weaved some delightful fables for children and illustrated them. K. G. Subramanyan received the Padma Shree in 1975, the Kalidas Samman in 1981, a D. Litt. (Honoris Causa) from the Rabindra Bharati University, Calcutta in 1992 and became a Fellow of Kerala Lalit Kala Akademi in 1993. He was awarded with the Padma Bhushan in 2006, and subsequently the Padma Vibhushan in 2012. Subramanyam spent more than 70 years as an active, Fairy tales from Pusera Palli-3 versatile, brilliant art practitioner, and would remain Water colour and oil on amongst the best Art Masters that India has ever produced. acrylic sheet, 1986 For the latter part of his life, he worked from his 23.4" x 33.5" spectacularly beautiful home in Baroda. He departed for the divine abode on June 29, 2016 and shall be fondly remembered for his exceptional service to the arts and humanity. Source: www.saffronart.com & www.contemporaryindianart.com .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Shuvaprasanna Bhattacharya — Concise Bio
    Shuvaprasanna Bhattacharya — Concise Bio Major Solo Exhibitions − 2011 'Shuvaprasanna: Recent Works', Centre of International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata − 2011 Traveling Retrospective at Lalit Kala Akademi; Art Indus; Gallery Nvya, New Delhi; Tao Art Gallery, New Delhi − 2008 ‘Night Watch’, Art Alive Gallery, New Delhi − 2007 ‘Madhura: The Golden Flute’, organized by Indian Contemporary at Visual Arts Centre, Hong Kong − 2006 ‘Evocative Expressions: In Quest of Krishna’, Art Alive Gallery, New Delhi − 2006 ‘Evocative Expressions: In Quest of Krishna’, ITC Sonar Bangla Art Gallery, Kolkata − 2006 ‘The Divine Flute’, Aicon Gallery, USA − 2005 ‘The Golden Flute’, organized by Indian Fine Art at Cymroza Art Gallery, Mumbai − 2004 ‘Lila’, organized by Art Indus, New Delhi at Shridharni Art Gallery, New Delhi − 2004 ‘The Divine Flute’, Gallery ArtsIndia, New York − 2002 ‘Icons and Illusions’, Gallery Arts India, New York − 2002 ‘Madhura’, Art Indus, New Delhi − 2000 ‘Shuvaprasanna’s Icon and Retrospective’, organized by Art Indus at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi − 2000 Fine Art Company, Mumbai − 2000 Gallery Sumukha, Bangalore − 2000 Art world, Chennai − 1998 ‘An Appreciation of Ted Hughes’, Exhibition of Crow Paintings, British Council, Kolkata − 1998 Art Indus, New Delhi − 1995 Painters Home Gallery, Kolkata − 1995 Gallery Sanskritii, New Delhi − 1994 Vadhera Art Gallery, New Delhi − 1994 Galerie Grewal Mohanjeet, Paris, France − 1993 ‘Metropolis’, Portraits of Calcutta, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
    [Show full text]
  • Śāntiniketan and Modern Southeast Asian
    Artl@s Bulletin Volume 5 Article 2 Issue 2 South - South Axes of Global Art 2016 Śāntiniketan and Modern Southeast Asian Art: From Rabindranath Tagore to Bagyi Aung Soe and Beyond YIN KER School of Art, Design & Media, Nanyang Technological University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/artlas Part of the Art Education Commons, Art Practice Commons, Asian Art and Architecture Commons, Modern Art and Architecture Commons, Other History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology Commons, Other International and Area Studies Commons, and the South and Southeast Asian Languages and Societies Commons Recommended Citation KER, YIN. "Śāntiniketan and Modern Southeast Asian Art: From Rabindranath Tagore to Bagyi Aung Soe and Beyond." Artl@s Bulletin 5, no. 2 (2016): Article 2. This document has been made available through Purdue e-Pubs, a service of the Purdue University Libraries. Please contact [email protected] for additional information. This is an Open Access journal. This means that it uses a funding model that does not charge readers or their institutions for access. Readers may freely read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of articles. This journal is covered under the CC BY-NC-ND license. South-South Śāntiniketan and Modern Southeast Asian Art: From Rabindranath Tagore to Bagyi Aung Soe and Beyond Yin Ker * Nanyang Technological University Abstract Through the example of Bagyi Aung Soe, Myanmar’s leader of modern art in the twentieth century, this essay examines the potential of Śāntiniketan’s pentatonic pedagogical program embodying Rabindranath Tagore’s universalist and humanist vision of an autonomous modernity in revitalizing the prevailing unilateral and nation- centric narrative of modern Southeast Asian art.
    [Show full text]
  • New and Bestselling Titles Sociology 2016-2017
    New and Bestselling titles Sociology 2016-2017 www.sagepub.in Sociology | 2016-17 Seconds with Alice W Clark How is this book helpful for young women of Any memorable experience that you hadhadw whilehile rural areas with career aspirations? writing this book? Many rural families are now keeping their girls Becoming part of the Women’s Studies program in school longer, and this book encourages at Allahabad University; sharing in the colourful page 27A these families to see real benefit for themselves student and faculty life of SNDT University in supporting career development for their in Mumbai; living in Vadodara again after daughters. It contributes in this way by many years, enjoying friends and colleagues; identifying the individual roles that can be played reconnecting with friendships made in by supportive fathers and mothers, even those Bangalore. Being given entrée to lively students with very little education themselves. by professors who cared greatly about them. Being treated wonderfully by my interviewees. What facets of this book bring-in international Any particular advice that you would like to readership? share with young women aiming for a successful Views of women’s striving for self-identity career? through professionalism; the factors motivating For women not yet in college: Find supporters and encouraging them or setting barriers to their in your family to help argue your case to those accomplishments. who aren’t so supportive. Often it’s submissive Upward trends in women’s education, the and dutiful mothers who need a prompt from narrowing of the gender gap, and the effects a relative with a broader viewpoint.
    [Show full text]
  • Kalanidhi Kalakosa Janapada Sampada Kaladarsana
    ANNUAL REPORT April 1, 2014-March 31, 2015 Contents Page No, Introduction 3 Organisation 4 Formation of the Trust 5 Highlights 5 KALANIDHI 7 Programme : Reference Library 8 : Reprography Unit 9 : Slide Unit 9 : Cultural Archives 9 Conservation Unit 12 Media Centre 13 Cultural Informatics Lab 14 KALAKOSA 17 Programme A : Kalatattvakosa 17 Programme B : Kalamulasastra 18 Programme C : Kalasamalocana 19 Area Studies 20 JANAPADA SAMPADA 25 Programme A : Ethnographic Collection 26 Programme B : Adi Drishya 27 Programme C : Lifestyle Studies 29 North East Study Programme 34 KALADARSANA 37 Exhibitions 38 Seminars/Conferences/Workshops 39 Public Lectures 42 Performances 43 Other Events 46 REGIONAL CENTRES 50 Eastern Regional Centre, Varanasi 50 Southern Regional Centre, Bengaluru 52 SUTRADHARA 57 ANNEXURES I: The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts Board of Trustees 58 (as on March 31, 2015) II: The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts Members of the 59 Executive Committee (as on March 31, 2015) III: List of Exhibitions held in IGNCA from April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015 60 IV: List of Lectures and other programmes held in IGNCA 62 from April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015 V: List of IGNCA Publications from April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015 76 VI: List of officers of IGNCA, including Senior /Junior Research 77 Fellows/Consultants in the IGNCA (as on March 31, 2015) INDIRA GANDHI NATIONAL CENTRE FOR THE ARTS Annual Report 2014-15 INTRODUCTION The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), established in the memory of Smt. Indira Gandhi in 1987, is visualised as an autonomous national institution encompassing the study and experience of all the arts - each form with its own integrity, yet within a dimension of mutual inter- dependence and inter-relatedness with nature, the social structure and cosmology.
    [Show full text]
  • Kala Bhavana, Visva-Bharati Under Graduate Syllabus, Objectives and Outcomes (Cbcs)
    DEPARTMENT OF DESIGN (CERAMIC & GLASS) KALA BHAVANA, VISVA-BHARATI UNDER GRADUATE SYLLABUS, OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES (CBCS) The four years Undergraduate BFA programme at Kala Bhavana begins with a 1-year Foundation Course. In the foundation course, the students get introduced with all discipline of visual art. Foundation course is followed by three years of specialization in Department of Design (Ceramic & Glass) I. Department of Design (Ceramic & Glass) component in the 1 year BFA Foundation programme Programme & Course Name Course Content Objective Expected Outcome Semester and Credits 1st. Year BFA – BFA/CG-F 1 It enhances /helps students to understand their In outdoor studies, students use very many Foundation 2 credits 1. Nature study on paper and immediate surroundings in the context of different traditional mediums and methods (Integrated basic understanding of observations of certain images and experiences which also help them to execute or approach Course) Ceramics ‘pottery/images they are gaining, more closely. They learn to images in multiple manners. articulate the use of lines, colours, shapes and Finally and most importantly they observe ST in coiling technique 1 . Semester forms of different given images around them. Also certain images around them and try to execute Course Name: (earthen ware). grows an understanding of different things from in different mediums, get attached to their BFA/CG-F 1, 2 Study of traditional daily observations, which gradually used in present situations and understand their own Course Credit: 2 terracotta forms and compositions. presence. Duration 90 Days copying in clay (earthen Learns multiple shapes, quality of objects, To develop their observation power/quality, (July to ware).
    [Show full text]
  • National Gallery of Modern Art New Delhi Government of India Vol 1 Issue 1 Jan 2012 Enews NGMA’S Newsletter Editorial Team From
    Newsletter JAN 2012 National Gallery of Modern Art New Delhi Government of India Vol 1 Issue 1 Jan 2012 enews NGMA’s Newsletter Editorial Team FroM Ella Datta the DIrector’s Tagore National Fellow for Cultural Research Desk Pranamita Borgohain Deputy Curator (Exhibition) Vintee Sain Update on the year’s activities Assistant Curator (Documentation) The NGMA, New Delhi has been awhirl with activities since the beginning of the year 2011. Kanika Kuthiala We decided to launch a quarterly newsletter to track the events for the friends of NGMA, Assistant Curator New Delhi, our well-wishers and patrons. The first issue however, will give an update of all the major events that took place over the year 2011. The year began with a bang with the th Monika Khanna Gulati, Sky Blue Design huge success of renowned sculptor Anish Kapoor’s exhibition. The 150 Birth Anniversary of Design Rabindranath Tagore, an outstanding creative genius, has acted as a trigger in accelerating our pace. NGMA is coordinating a major exhibition of close to hundred paintings and drawings Our very special thanks to Prof. Rajeev from the collection of NGMA as well as works from Kala Bhavana and Rabindra Bhavana of Lochan, Director NGMA without whose Visva Bharati in Santiniketan, West Bengal. The Exhibition ‘The Last Harvest: Rabindranath generous support this Newsletter would not Tagore’ is the first time that such a major exhibition of Rabindranath’s works is travelling to have been possible. Our Grateful thanks to all so many art centers in Europe and the USA as well as Seoul, Korea.
    [Show full text]
  • Raja Ravi Varma 145
    viii PREFACE Preface i When Was Modernism ii PREFACE Preface iii When Was Modernism Essays on Contemporary Cultural Practice in India Geeta Kapur iv PREFACE Published by Tulika 35 A/1 (third floor), Shahpur Jat, New Delhi 110 049, India © Geeta Kapur First published in India (hardback) 2000 First reprint (paperback) 2001 Second reprint 2007 ISBN: 81-89487-24-8 Designed by Alpana Khare, typeset in Sabon and Univers Condensed at Tulika Print Communication Services, processed at Cirrus Repro, and printed at Pauls Press Preface v For Vivan vi PREFACE Preface vii Contents Preface ix Artists and ArtWork 1 Body as Gesture: Women Artists at Work 3 Elegy for an Unclaimed Beloved: Nasreen Mohamedi 1937–1990 61 Mid-Century Ironies: K.G. Subramanyan 87 Representational Dilemmas of a Nineteenth-Century Painter: Raja Ravi Varma 145 Film/Narratives 179 Articulating the Self in History: Ghatak’s Jukti Takko ar Gappo 181 Sovereign Subject: Ray’s Apu 201 Revelation and Doubt in Sant Tukaram and Devi 233 Frames of Reference 265 Detours from the Contemporary 267 National/Modern: Preliminaries 283 When Was Modernism in Indian Art? 297 New Internationalism 325 Globalization: Navigating the Void 339 Dismantled Norms: Apropos an Indian/Asian Avantgarde 365 List of Illustrations 415 Index 430 viii PREFACE Preface ix Preface The core of this book of essays was formed while I held a fellowship at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library at Teen Murti, New Delhi. The project for the fellowship began with a set of essays on Indian cinema that marked a depar- ture in my own interpretative work on contemporary art.
    [Show full text]
  • Secondary Indian Culture and Heritage
    Culture: An Introduction MODULE - I Understanding Culture Notes 1 CULTURE: AN INTRODUCTION he English word ‘Culture’ is derived from the Latin term ‘cult or cultus’ meaning tilling, or cultivating or refining and worship. In sum it means cultivating and refining Ta thing to such an extent that its end product evokes our admiration and respect. This is practically the same as ‘Sanskriti’ of the Sanskrit language. The term ‘Sanskriti’ has been derived from the root ‘Kri (to do) of Sanskrit language. Three words came from this root ‘Kri; prakriti’ (basic matter or condition), ‘Sanskriti’ (refined matter or condition) and ‘vikriti’ (modified or decayed matter or condition) when ‘prakriti’ or a raw material is refined it becomes ‘Sanskriti’ and when broken or damaged it becomes ‘vikriti’. OBJECTIVES After studying this lesson you will be able to: understand the concept and meaning of culture; establish the relationship between culture and civilization; Establish the link between culture and heritage; discuss the role and impact of culture in human life. 1.1 CONCEPT OF CULTURE Culture is a way of life. The food you eat, the clothes you wear, the language you speak in and the God you worship all are aspects of culture. In very simple terms, we can say that culture is the embodiment of the way in which we think and do things. It is also the things Indian Culture and Heritage Secondary Course 1 MODULE - I Culture: An Introduction Understanding Culture that we have inherited as members of society. All the achievements of human beings as members of social groups can be called culture.
    [Show full text]
  • Catalogue Fair Timings
    CATALOGUE Fair Timings 28 January 2016 Thursday Select Preview: 12 - 3pm By invitation Preview: 3 - 5pm By invitation Vernissage: 5 - 9pm IAF VIP Card holders (Last entry at 8.30pm) 29 - 30 January 2016 Friday and Saturday Business Hours: 11am - 2pm Public Hours: 2 - 8pm (Last entry at 7.30pm) 31 January 2016 Sunday Public Hours: 11am - 7pm (Last entry at 6.30pm) India Art Fair Team Director's Welcome Neha Kirpal Zain Masud Welcome to our 2016 edition of India Art Fair. Founding Director International Director Launched in 2008 and anticipating its most rigorous edition to date Amrita Kaur Srijon Bhattacharya with an exciting programme reflecting the diversity of the arts in Associate Fair Director Director - Marketing India and the region, India Art Fair has become South Asia's premier and Brand Development platform for showcasing modern and contemporary art. For our 2016 Noelle Kadar edition, we are delighted to present BMW as our presenting partner VIP Relations Director and JSW as our associate partner, along with continued patronage from our preview partner, Panerai. Saheba Sodhi Vishal Saluja Building on its success over the past seven years, India Art Senior Manager - Marketing General Manager - Finance Fair presents a refreshed, curatorial approach to its exhibitor and Alliances and Operations programming with new and returning international participants Isha Kataria Mankiran Kaur Dhillon alongside the best programmes from the subcontinent. Galleries, Vip Relations Manager Programming and Client Relations will feature leading Indian and international exhibitors presenting both modern and contemporary group shows emphasising diverse and quality content. Focus will present select galleries and Tanya Singhal Wol Balston organisations showing the works of solo artists or themed exhibitions.
    [Show full text]
  • Contextual Modernism’ in the Silk Paintings of Maniklal Banerjee
    The Chitrolekha Journal on Art and Design (E-ISSN 2456-978X), Vol. 1, No. 2, 2017 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21659/cjad.12.v1n205 PDF URL: www.chitrolekha.com/ns/v1n2/v1n205.pdf The ‘Contextual Modernism’ in the Silk Paintings of Maniklal Banerjee Ashmita Mukherjee Research Scholar, Jadavpur University. Email: [email protected] Abstract The paper tries to analyze the silk paintings of Maniklal Banerjee (1917-2002) who was greatly influenced by the artists of the so-called Bengal school of art. The school started by Abanindranath Tagore did not remain confined to its own time and space, but grew into dynamic new modernisms over a span of nearly a century. Art historian Sivakumar invoked a number of artists of Santiniketan and called it a “contextual modernism”. The paper tries to re-read the spirit of Santiniketan artists on the more recent and un- researched art of Maniklal Banerjee- who contextualized in his own way the Bengal ‘school’ that had by now turned into a ‘movement’. The spirit of freedom runs at the core of this movement and finds a new language in the late twentieth century artist’s renderings of daily life and Puranic narrations. Keywords: Bengal School, Maniklal Banerjee, Abanindranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Indian art, Puranic art, aesthetics Introduction: Maniklal Banerjee (1917-2002) Barely remembered beyond textbooks of art schools, Maniklal Banerjee was one of the first innovators of the technique of using water-color on silk in India. In order to engage in any critical discussion on his works, it is ironical that this painter- a recipient of the prestigious Abanindra Puraskar in 1999- needs an introduction (Plate 1 and 2).
    [Show full text]
  • Famous Son: Dr. K J Yesudas
    Issue 6 May 2012 Page 4 World celebrates 50 years of Musical Wonder by Kerala`s famous son: Dr. K J Yesudas. This year, world renowned musician legend Dr. KJ Yesudas celebrates 50 years in the music industry, Varnakairali pays tribute to the legend himself in this edition. K. J. Yesudas was born in Cochin, on 10th January 1940 to Latin Catholic parents Augustine Joseph and Alice kutty. Jesudas has recorded more than 50,000 songs in various languages including Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali, Gujarati, Oriya, Marathi, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tulu, Malay, Russian, Arabic, Latin and English during a career spanning five decade. He sings Indian classical, devotional, and pop music songs. His singing prowess earned him the India`s National Award for the Best Male Playback Singer seven times (the most by any Indian singer), and the State Award for the Best Playback Singer 43 times which comprises of awards by the State Governments of Kerala(23), Tamil Nadu(8), Andhra Pradesh(6), Karnataka(5), and West Bengal(1). He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1975, followed by the Padma Bhushan in 2002 by the Indian Government for his contributions towards the art. He was awarded Swathi Sangeetha Puraskaram in 2011, the highest music award given by the Kerala Government. After winning the Kerala State Award for Best Playback singer on numerous occasions, he requested to be ruled out of contention to give his peers and newcomers a chance of winning the award. Despite his humble request, he was still given this award several times in the following years.
    [Show full text]
  • Nerve Studio Residency.Indd 2 28/06/13 10:52 PM
    nerve trend Residencies have been part of most vocations – and art is one of them. India has recognised its scope only recently, offering an optimistic platform for many Sleeping With Your Art hen you drive past the long stretch of shanties on Wadibunder Road, WMumbai, you begin to wonder if the essence of art really does linger close by. Your GPS beeps just then, instructing you to take a left turn into a big iron gate. A watchman unquestioningly lets you in as you hoot an impatient honk. Yet, your doubt persists because heavy labour and heavy machinery is all you see around you. It seems like people know the purpose of your visit. A man waves at you to take a turn at the end of the sprawling compound. And just as you do, Space 118 comes into view. In front of you are three occupied studios and to your left stands a cosy-looking cottage of sorts under a brick roof. This is Saloni Doshi’s office. It is cluttered with small sized sculptures and a neat stack of paintings against its walls. With an enthusiastic interest in art’s offerings, this thirty something collector revamped part of an industrial space for the purpose of studio residencies for artists – budding and bloomed. Like most spaces in 2009, it was inaugurated with the intention of focussing on artists with limited exposure to the creative realm’s ecosystem. Graduates and those from smaller towns deem it an honour to be accepted for a residency. Sometimes they need to pay a fee, and at other times it’s a barter of one of their creations.
    [Show full text]