9.CONTEMPORARY INDIAN ART || NIOS - SECONDARY COURSE || PANTING-225 CLASS-X

Chapter-9 

CONTEMPORARY INDIAN ART

Indian contemporary art, which began with Raja Ravi Verma and Bengal School, continued to flourish in different metropolitan cities of India. Western influence became very clear on the young generation in spite of Bengal school’s attempt to revive classical tradition of Indian art. The young generation of thirties and forties took inspiration either from the west or far east to give a new meaning to Indian art. Some of these painters went to western countries and ultimately settled there and those stayed back were struggling to discover their identity. It is heartening that many of these painters not only found their identity, but also could establish themselves as internationally successful painters.

भारतीय समकालीन कला, जो राजा रवि वर्मा और बंगाल स्कूल से शुरू हुई, भारत के विभिन्न महानगरीय शहरों में विकसित होती रही। भारतीय कला की शास्त्रीय परंपरा को पुनर्जीवित करने के बंगाल स्कूल के प्रयास के बावजूद युवा पीढ़ी पर पश्चिमी प्रभाव बहुत स्पष्ट हो गया। तीसवां दशक और चालीसवें वर्ष की युवा पीढ़ी ने भारतीय कला को एक नया अर्थ देने के लिए पश्चिम या सुदूर पूर्व से प्रेरणा ली। इनमें से कुछ चित्रकार पश्चिमी देशों में चले गए और अंततः वहीं बस गए और जो रुके वे अपनी पहचान खोजने के लिए संघर्ष कर रहे थे। यह खुशी की बात है कि इनमें से कई चित्रकारों ने न केवल अपनी पहचान पाई, बल्कि खुद को अंतरराष्ट्रीय स्तर पर सफल चित्रकारों के रूप में स्थापित किया।

GLOSSARY

German expressionism – An Art movement of 20th Century by painters like Kandinsky, Kirchner, Nolde etc. 

Cubism – A form of Art in which objects are simplified in basic geometrical shapes. Main artists are Picasso, Braque, Leger etc.

Fauvism – A style of painting in which very warm and loud colours are used. Main artist is Matisse. 

Surrealism – In this style of painting very realistic forms are combined in an unrealistic manner, as it happens in dream. Main artists are Dali, Chirico and others. 

Calligraphy – Art of script writing. 

Gothic period – A christian Art and Architectural style of 13th Century A.D. 

Horoscope – Diagram showing the relative position of planets and zodiac signs for use of in calculating births foretelling event in a person’s life. It is a part of Astrology.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 9.1

 

Q.1. Name the print making technique artists use.

Ans: Dry point, Aquatint and Intaglio are the print making techniques used by the artists.

Q.2. Which print making technique has been used by Krisna Reddy for “Whirlpool”? 

Ans: Intaglio is the print making technique which has been used by Krishna Reddy for "Whirlpool".

Q.3. What do you know about Krishna Reddy’s work “Whirlpool”?

Ans: Krishna Reddy's main interest in the picture is to capture the force of nature. Everything is lost in the cosmic whirlpool. The images in the pictures are abstract forms of staes, flowers and clouds.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 9.2 

Q.1. Write about Benode Behari’s teacher and his place of education.

Ans: His teacher was Nandalal Bose. Both were famous Bengal school painters. 

Q.2. Write in two lines about the technique of  “Fresco-Buono”.

Ans: It is a method in which powdered pigments are mixed in water and applied to wet freshly laid lime plaster ground.

Q.3. What are the colours, mainly used in “Mediaeval Saints” Mural? 

Ans: Brown, yellow ocher and terraverte are the main colours used in "Medieval Saints" mural.

Q.4. What was Benode Behari’s phyical problem?

Ans: He suffered from weak eyesight and became blind.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 9.3

Q.1. Mention the role of K.C.S. Panikar in the art scene of South India. 

Ans:He was most influential and pioneer in the development of contemporary art movement in south India.

Q.2. What is ‘Cholamandalam’? How it is related to Panikar?

Ans: Panikar established the first artist village of India near Chennai named "Cholamandalam". 

Q.3. Write two lines on enlisted paintings of Panikar.

Ans:"Words and Symbols" is an experimental work in which space is covered with fine calligraphy.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 9.4

Q.1. Name one of the founders of “The progressive Artist Group”.

Ans:F.N. Souza was one of the founders of the "Progressive Artists Group".

Q.2. Write on few important qualities of Souza’s “The landscape in Red”. 

Ans:"The Landscape in Red" depicts Souza's experimental cityscape vision of mysterious world. The painting shows a good exhibition of calligraphy and follows no conventional perspective.

Q.3. Who did inspire Souza’s art?

Ans:Souza's art was inspired by Picasso and Matisse.

Q.4. Name the foreign cities Souza Stayed.

Ans: London and New York are the foreign cities where Souza stayed.

TERMINAL EXERCISE

Q.1.Describe the influences that helped in the development of contemporary art of India.

Ans:The western art movement played a great role in the development of contemporary art of India.The Indian young artist like Raja Ravi Varma, Abanidranath Tagore,Amrita Shergil, Rabindra Nath Tagore and Jamini Roy were exposed to the western style of painting. They followed German Expressionism, Cubism,Fauvism, Dadaism and Surrealism to produce their work of art. Besides,they also tried to retain Indian identity in the progress of contemporary Indian art. Finally, a good combination of western techniques and Indian spiritualism because the most important feature of Indian contemporary art. Bengal school of art also played a good role.

Q.2. Write about two painters of India who settled abroad and became famous.

Ans:F.S Souza was the Indian painter. He was born in 1924 in Goa and died in 2002. He was always expelled from the school. First he was expelled from his school and then, from J.J. School of Art in 1947. He found the "Progressive Artists Group" in 1947. He had achieved this milestone at a tender age. Souza finally left India and settled in London. Souza was a revolutionary. He represented all kinds of religious and social superstitions in his paintings. Morever, F.N.Souza was quite fortunate to represent the Indian artists on the international stage. Undoubtedly Indian contemporary art is indebted to him. 

Q.3. What do you know about the Indian painter who became blind?

Ans:Benode Behari Mukherjee was the Indian painted who had become blind. He had a poor eye sight when he was a child. But when he grew up, he become totally blind. Benode Behari eas the successful disciple of Nandalal Bose. He was very found of nature and its beauty. Because of this fact we find an excellent representation of nature in his painting. His style of landscaping bears an apparent influence of the japanese art. Among his beautiful creation, we can count the painting "Medieval Saints" as an excellent piece of work. Morever,he rendered a great contribution to the development of contemporary Indian art.  

Q.4. Write in brief about the Artist-Souza.

Ans:The complete name of Souza was Francis Newton Souza. He is popularly known as F.N. Souza . He was instrumental in establishing the Progressive Artists Group in India. He had established this institution in 1947. From his chilhood,Souza was genius and revolutionary. Being a poor man, he was pained by the sufferings of the middle class people. He gave a strong voice to them in his painting. Besides, he also represented the religious and social superstitions in his cration works. "Landscape in Red" is one of the beautiful paintings created by him. His style evidently bears the mark of post Impressionist and German Expressionists painters. Besides,it is said that he was a great follower of Picasso.

Q.5. Describe in brief of Panikar's one of the famous paintings.

Ans:"Words and Symbols" is one of the famous paintings created by Panikar. He has played an influential and pioneering role in the development of contemporary art movement in South India. The present work is an example of experimental work. He has filled the entire space with calligraphy. In fact, Panikar has used mathematical symbols, Arabic figures, Roman scripts and Malayalam scripts to create this piece of work. In the present painting Panikar has given no importance to colours. When we look at this painting, it seems we are reading a horoscope.