In the month of April we traditionally saw the winding down of the art season as the
temperature begins to rise and we head into the summer months. However in recent years we see
a steady dissolving of this seasonal trend, particularly in the digital age. Art & Deal magazine, as
ever, presents a cross section of the plethora of events happening within the Indian art scene, as
we witness the unfolding of its evolution with the passing of time.
Our cover story ‘Liberation/ Revelation/ Representation: The Art of is written by professor
Rajeev Lochan, the former director of NGMA, New Delhi, and also a renowned artist, art writer
and curator in his own right. Professor Lochan delves into the tenacious life and works of one
of the few Indian artists to have established themselves in India and internationally during his
lifetime.
Dr Aparna Roy Baliga and Dr Seema Bhalla both explore the Bengal School; however from an
angle which is presented far too infrequently, the angle of how female artists fought to find their
place in the movement, against the tide of patriarchal attitudes which were rife and commonplace.
Dr Aparna Roy Baliga writes about the life and career of perhaps the most well known female
artist of the Bengal School; Sunayani Devi. She highlights not only her stylistic approach, but also
the implications of her practice being centered in ‘the structural sexism of art practice within a
familial domain’. Dr Seema Bhalla asks the ever pervading question of why there weren’t more
female artists during the Bengal School movement in Indian art, particularly as this coincided
with the movement of women’s emancipation post-independence.
In our international segment we feature the works and practice of Chinese performance artist
Li Xinmo in the article ‘Beyond Gender’ which explores her thought provoking and impacting
process of performative expression which simultaneously represents the challenges faced by
women yet operates beyond the context of gender. We also have the second part of Rajesh Punj’s
interview with renowned contemporary artist Bharti Kher, following her show in Paris.
On February the 14th Dr Martina Corgnati gave a talk at the Italian Embassy Cultural Center
on the incredibly apt issue of Ecological Art titled ‘Ecological Art. What was that?’ It’s clear to see,
especially in the bustling metropolis of Delhi, that climate change and environmental devastation
is a huge issue which we all face. Dr Martina Corgnati shares with us her plenary of the talk,
where she shares with us the foundations of the ‘Arte Povera’ movement, and what ecological art
means for society today.
As usual we have a cross section of reports and reviews, this time from Mumbai and Delhi.
Tanishka D’Lyma reports on the recent solo show of Ravikumar Kashi titled ‘Silent Echo’ and
Gneev Nagi gives us insight into the happenings of ‘Arts 4 All Festival’ a collaboration between
Street Arts India and Asian Paints Initiative. From Delhi our correspondent reviews the solo
show of Pratul Dash titled ‘In The Twilight Zone’ as he takes his work further in the direction of
confronting the environmental crisis we’re facing. Franck Barthelemy gives us an insight into the
best of India Art Fair, and we feature a report on the art-meets-fashion solo exhibition of Varnita
titled ‘Showstopper’ in Lalit Kala Akademi.
In other news, our magazine size will be increasing giving you an even better reading
experience and we look forward to presenting a new look for future publications. For the first
time in 12 years we are having a slight price change, our new price will be 150 INR per magazine
(excluding special issues) we hope you, our reader base, understands our decision and continue
to give us your support and interest in representing our art scene.
As always, feel free to write to us with your comments and suggestions.
Happy reading.
Siddhartha Tagore.
