A Rare Chance To View Contemporary Art From India

art

Betty Seid, an independent curator, formerly with The Art Institute, has assembled a body of work from contemporary Indian artists currently being shown at the Chicago Cultural Center.  All of the work shown has been produced in the 21st century.

Of course Indian culture is still quite traditional, but my over-abiding reaction to the work, bar none is that these people have the task, and a difficult one it is for them and for India itself, of  bridging the gap between East and West.  Western tools and techniques are available to them, yet the past and its tradition exerts a powerful and a necessary pull.  For this reason, the exhibit is especially fascinating.

About a decade ago my husband and I took the first of two trips to India.  The country was exotic and mesmerizing.  We never knew what surprise awaited just ahead.  We were well guided but yearned for contact with Indian counterparts.  Finally we introduced ourselves to a family having dinner at a table adjoining ours at our hotel.  It turned out that one of the gentlemen had attended our alma mater so that was a welcome entree.

Their daughter was proudly introduced as an artist by her mother.  It suddenly occurred to me to ask whether she was a traditional or contemporary artist.  The answer was the former and I must admit to immediate disappointment, particularly I suppose because she was in her early twenties.

Perhaps she changed her mind and is the company of her forward-looking countrymen and women in the exhibit.

Here's a preview:  the photo of the sculpture at top, courtesy the artist and Bose Pacia Gallery is "Three Cows" by Subodh Gupta.  The other by Anju Dodiya, bottom left is acrylic, painted on a mattress  and entitled, "Cloud Hunter," photo courtesy of the artist.

The exhibit will continue at the Cultural Center through September 23 in the Fourth  Floor Yates Gallery.  Ms. Seid  will present gallery talks on Thursday, August 16 at 12:15PM and Thursday, September 20, also at 12:15.  A number of other related programs are scheduled.  Check out  www.chicagoculturalcenter.org for additional info.