Islamic and Colonial Art Gaining Ground in India – ARTnews.com

Throughout recorded history, there has been no unique definition of India. Even today, in some respects, there are many Indias.

In contemporary artistic discourse, there is India for the past and another for the present. The first is a lively mix of cultural influences that wed the local with the global, the local with the foreign; The latter is defined by the increasing homogeneity based on the perceived cultural traditions of the dominant religion, Hinduism.

This is why, 75 years after the independence of India, the art and architecture of the Mughal era are being marginalized. Mughal art, influenced by the styles of Persia and other Middle Eastern countries; And colonial art, with its modern European flourishes, represents “foreign” cultures that seem to be in opposition to the current way of thinking of those in power in India.

This trend can be seen in Bollywood films, where Hindi, which was once one of the most popular languages ​​in this popular style of filmmaking, is being marginalized for Hindi, which conservative politicians want to make as the national language of India, although Most of the languages ​​in the country are not spoken. It can also be seen in the renaming of the notable avenues in the country’s capital from those of the Mughal emperors to contemporary political figures, and in the planned redevelopment of the building housing the Indian Parliament, done in the style prevailing during the British era. You can even see this in the ways government authorities have sought to distance themselves from the aforementioned traditional art techniques that make up India’s rich and varied past.

However, dissenting voices in India’s contemporary art scene are also rising against this homogeneity, and Mughal art and colonial art have become a new source of fascination for artists both inside and outside the country.

The artist who has tackled Mughal art and architecture is Ela Mukherjee, who was recently installed A tribute to a shared past (2022) is a series of sculptures that recreate the architecture of dynasties past.

“India is a melting pot of different influences – there are wonderful examples of Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Islamic and colonial art and architecture in every part of the country,” Mukherjee said in an interview. “So how does one say what is ours? Our culture has a diverse and multifaceted plural character. I felt it important to bring out these different aspects of our architectural practices through my art.”

And she continued, “I don’t want to present a political or religious message, I’m just an artist who wants to express the resentment I feel without making it too clear. Things have become very disturbing lately. Why should religion rule our cultural context? They should spare culture and language.” and practice.”

Mukherjee’s sensitivity to her surroundings stems from her personal beliefs. But for artist Archie Ershad Ahmadzai, the preservation of these art forms is directly linked to her identity as an Indian Muslim married to an Afghan Pashtun.

“My art is influenced by my place of birth in Najibabad, Uttar Pradesh, which has beautiful Mughal architecture, as well as my culture and community,” said Ahmadzai, who is living in self-imposed exile in Germany after escaping from Afghanistan. “Living in Afghanistan after my marriage further influenced my art. I feel it is important to preserve the cultural diversity of India through art forms because of the current political climate, which seems keen to obscure the legacy of the time.”

In 2021, Ahmadzai wrote and illustrated a series of 120 personal letters in Urdu addressed to her husband, from whom she was separated during the Covid lockdown. titled sameThese letters became a form of self-expression as she spoke her mind on topics ranging from the personal to the political. “Fortunately, the Indian public for art is liberal and open-minded. I prefer to make my point with Dabi Zaaban [being tight-lipped] And silently. She adds that most South Asian women know how to make their point in a subtle way.

Waswo X.’s practice also aims to popularize the most iconic style of the Mughal era: miniature painting. The American artist first came to India as a photographer but ventured into miniature painting with works depicting himself as the perfect figure. Franji (Foreigner). In later similar works he assumed the identity of the “White Mughal”, brazenly appropriating the transitional period when the British were heavily influenced by the lavish lifestyles of the Mughals. However, the artist maintains that his work, which he created in collaboration with the traditional R. painters.

The Mughals introduced this style of Persian painting to India, and Emperor Akbar and Jahangir were his greatest patrons. The miniaturists were both Hindus and Muslims, and all worked in harmony at the same time Karkhanas (Workshops). Under Emperor Aurangzeb, there was a purge of the arts, and many miniaturists fled their traditional positions to places like Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan, leading to the development of different schools of art. Waswo artists are known as Mewari miniaturists, although the origin of the art form can be attributed to the Mughals.

When asked about the importance of preserving cultural diversity in India through traditional art forms, Wasu replied, “India is a multicultural society, and I would like to see it stay that way. Karkhana Most of them are made up of Hindu artists, and they all love nice people. But I also often work with my Muslim friends on my photography projects.”

Ceramic expert Shirley Bhatnagar strives to preserve early colonial art through her work. For her series entitled “Ochterlony’s Household”, she recreated a typical English souvenir known as a Toby’s pitcher, which depicts a disfigured sailor drinking beer. In her work, Toby was replaced by Lord Ochterlony, the British Resident at the Mughal court during the East India Company’s rule in India, who in Bhatnagar’s words was “fascinated and loved” by what he saw here.

“I was interested in these stories,” she said, “and I wanted to highlight this tender but short-lived period of about 70 years in our history, when the colonists got along with the colonized. This mixing of cultures should not be suppressed. I think it is very important to preserve His legacy lives on.”

The biggest challenge for artists working to preserve traditional heritage is to attract the attention of a younger audience. Tanya Singhal and Ravinder Singh are leveraging the power of social media to run their own Arteart Instagram page, which has amassed over 11,000 users. Its goal is to make art more accessible to all by encouraging people to find their own meaning in it, regardless of their own background or that of another artist. To this end, the account searches international museum archives for images of Indian art.

Many of the works published on the account were done in the style of Mughal miniatures. It is paired with tongue-in-cheek text that allows users to interact with the artwork and see it for what it is: an important part of India’s culture.

One post shows a miniature painting of the Mongols, titled The Prince is talking to a woman while having refreshments on the balcony. It has been commented on several times with phrases in both English and Hindi, such as “What arranged marriages of the past looked like” and “Are you sure painting my nails would make me more popular in court?”. Another post with a mini-board called Baz Bahadur and Rani Rumati (about 1800). It was paired with a text reading: “There are two types of journeys: journeys that remain in group conversations and those that emerge from those conversations.”

It is undeniable that the artists’ individual experiences, contextualized in their contemporary surroundings, emerge through their art. Ahmadzai sums up: “It is natural to be affected by what is happening around you. Whether it is political or not, the things that bother you will show up in your work, even if unconsciously.” Thus, these artists are the ideal flag-bearers for preserving India’s multicultural fabric.