Is Indian art on a growth path? The answer is in the affirmative at least in commercial terms; surely Indian art is seeing good times. Even younger artists are enjoying good demand for their works and galleries are brimming with activity. But this surging interest need not be the “art for art’s sake” paradigm.

India’s art market is worth Rs 1,500 crore (US$323.36 mn). To improve appreciation of art more awareness is needed beyond what’s available in auctions at Christy’s and Sotheby’s. As a practicing artist, I feel it is part of my endeavour to share some thoughts on the evolution of art in India and reflect on some contemporary trends.

Indian Art began its formal innings with academic realism of Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings at the close of the 19th century. Abanindranath Tagore established the wash process of water colour painting (now known as the Bengal School) in the early part of the 20th century. He received training from Samuel Palmer and Japanese artist Okakura. Further, Nandalal Bose and Ventappa sharpened the style of the Bengal School that later on evolved as the Oriental Style.

Indian art has seen tremendous changes over the decades, starting from the 1960s. The important thing is that these trends never had a pan Indian sweep. Rather the approaches to art varied distinctly from place to place in the erstwhile Indian presidencies/metros such as Calcutta, Bombay and Madras.

In Tagore’s Shanti Niketan, the trend was conspicuous by its adherence to the then known traditions of art and abnegation of all European influences be it from Rembrandt or Manet, Paul Cezanne, Paul Gargin, Braquo, Picasso or Dali for that matter.

Bombay had a more open mixture of ideas in art; JJ College of Art was the crucible for this. The Progressive art movement flourished in Bombay which is Mumbai now. Founded in the 1950s by six members K.H. Ara, S.K. Bakre, H.A. Gade, M.F. Husain, S.H. Raza and F.N. Souza, Progressive Artists’ Group made a vital contribution to the contemporary art movement by consciously seeking a new form that described the Indian reality after independence. It held many exhibitions together and was dissolved in 1956. One can also count artists V.S. Gaitonde, Krishen Khanna, Akbar Padamsee, Tyeb Mehta, Ram Kumar and Bal Chabda as part of this school.

Art in Madras

Madras drifted away from the traditional pulls of art and stood receptive to the positive influence of the world art. Thanks to the able guidance and foresight of D.P. Roy Chowdhury and K.C.S. Panicker, Madras adopted a more liberal attitude to global art; artistic giants like Rembrandt, Diego Velasquez, Delacroix, etc did make a strong impact on the Madras scene, as far as academic training was concerned.

Major European art movements such as Impressionism, Expressionism, Cubism, and Surrealism made a deep impact among art students. Students of Madras College of Arts were encouraged to develop, innovate and come out with their own versions of creative ideas in the larger context of world art.

When I enrolled for arts education, I was already a graduate of Madras University and had majored in subjects of History, Economics, and Political Science. This helped me in garnering a good understanding of world art history. Great masters like Vangogh, Gargine, Monet, Paul Cezanne, Plaul Klee, Picasso and Salvador Dali were sources of inspiration for me. Those were the days (1960s) when hardly any art market existed. Private art galleries promoting artists were almost nil in cities like Madras, Bangalore and Hyderabad. But the saving grace was a good number of magazines and dailies that carried out art reviews and analyses in their columns. That indeed was a great encouragement to many budding artists.

Foreign Influence

In the making of an artist, awareness of the significant developments in art that took place in countries like France, Germany, Italy, UK and the Americas are a must. Trends like Expressionism, Cubism, Dadaism, Pop Art, Surrealism and Abstract Art have broadened the artists’ understanding and expanded their creative possibilities.

Stalwarts like Henry Matise, Paul Gavgine, Vincent Vangogh, Paul Klee, Henry Matiose, Pablo Picasso, Piet Mondrian, Salvador Dali, Mara Chagal, Max Ernst, Wassley Kandinsky, Emil Nolde, Andry Warhol, Edward Munch, Marc Rothko, Jackson Pollack etc opened our minds towards new creative destinations in art. It is said that real art knows no boundaries. Consciously developed national character, if any, can stagnate our vision and affect the creativity in the long run.

In the past, passion for art was what drew individuals to an uncertain career as an artist. Today the scene is different. Art auctions by leading concerns from India and abroad along with a large number of art galleries have changed the art scenario. These days only students from affluent families opt for art courses, I am told. Artists coming from affluent sections are better placed vis a vis others when it comes to commercial success, as their built in ‘connections’ in society provide them a boost in the market, perhaps even before they have completed the art studies. Instant success boosts the image and adds to self confidence.

Awareness Needed

Mention must be made of the fad of art collection. Barring a minority, serious adulation of art with its right awareness is missing in our society. There is a yawning gap between the art collector and his real understanding of art. Most of the collectors have hardly anytime to bother about the serious understanding of art, because their life is hectic. They invest money in art, with a view to get their investment multiplied in course of time. Their decisions are mostly dictated by market forces and hearsay from close art circles.

There is a growing alienation among the genuine art critics and historians, who are feeling sidelined from the art scene. Many prominent dailies and magazines hardly bother to carry serious reviews of artists or art shows, unlike what it was in 1960s, 70s and 80s.

The result is that those who could capture the market by hook or crook remain a notch above their peers who could not reach that height. What is more pathetic is that artists are getting categorized into different brackets according to the prices they command in the market.

Vanishing Personal Idiom

Certain flaws surfacing in art need to be noticed before we act on it. Often the essential consistency of a personal idiom and expression expected from a true artist might be missing from many of our successful market beneficiaries. They could be seen indulging in too many things in one go—rendering the most realistic works and totally abstract ones hand-in-hand! Vow! I have heard of some artists even employing art labourers to copy their concepts onto the canvas to be signed by them later. For any true art lover these practices may sound truly ridiculous if not obnoxious.

The advancements in IT and multimedia have definitely improved the personal involvement of younger artists. Multifarious influences of world art movements are palpable amongst the growing generation of Indian artists on a wider and deeper scale as never before.

Superficial influences of ‘Installation Art’ are also pervasive. So is conceptual art in many forms. The personal commitment and involvement of artists to some of these trends is often flippant; temporary and whimsical. Western trends like PoP Art and Super Realism also made their way into some quarters of Indian art. Computer aided tools like photoshop with its umpteen variations are integral parts of many art courses.

I find it hard to arrive at an easy conclusion and pin down the concrete trends and possibilities; maybe it is due to the complexity of our art scene. To conclude, I would say the Indian art today is an admixture of many possibilities. Stark comparisons of the merit and demerit can be intricate and inconclusive. But it needs to be said the art scene in India is dynamic with a good number of artists in the fray. The real challenge before the today’s artist is to gain the requisite strength and moral courage to endure the long struggle required to establish one’s identity and originality stamped in his works. This is my earnest message.