In a digital age where stories unfold in unexpected ways, an Instagram reel from @insidehistory recently caught my attention, narrating a modern-day tale of a Caryatid’s separation from her sisters. The reel lamented, “She’s being held hostage in London while her sisters are home safe in Athens.” This Caryatid in question is a marble-sculpted female…
The Body Geography: The Landscape of the Female Body, as Represented Through the 20th and 21st Century Indian Art
‘Memory, Roots and Desires’, an exhibition held at Gallery Sumukha between Dec’22 and Jan’23, celebrated six of their globally renowned south Indian artists; among which, Pushpamala and Shanthamani Muddaiah–displayed alongside, sparked compelling discourses on the notions of the female body as landscape memory. In this culturally and socio-politically charged show that spoke about time and…
Globalizing Art Experiences: Rethinking Exhibitions and Curatorial Challenges
When one ponders on the internationally renowned contemporary global exhibitions, Biennales or Biennials dominantly engage one’s thoughts. As evidenced etymologically, taking place biannually all across the globe, over 270 biennales are actively taking place according to the Directory of the Biennial Foundation. These are increasingly becoming a source of local pride and cultural tourism that…
Death of Detail in Design: The Age of Minimalism?
In the realm of creativity, trends have appeared and disappeared; harkening the demise of a certain genre, style or movement has not been prototypical at any given point in history. Around 1840, famous French painter Paul Delaroche said, “from today, painting is dead!” after looking at a photograph for the first time. This declaration emphasized…
Modernity in Congruence with Tradition: Balakrishna Doshi’s Legacy
One often hears about Balakrishna Doshi’s achievements. Being one and only Indian to have received the Pritzker Prize for his Architectural endowment and having worked under the renowned Le Corbusier – these facets are sometimes rather upstaging next to his persona; but on January 24, 2023, the nation lost more than just an esteemed and…
A Case for Museums in India
What exactly is a museum, and why are they important to our culture? Surprisingly, a sizable percentage of the population avoids visiting museums because they believe that they are collections of “antiquated” and boring artifacts. On the other hand, museums are sometimes referred to as ceremonial monuments, as Carol Duncan brilliantly put it. Museums have…
Museums and Pedagogy: Beyond Display Cases
Amsterdam Vondelschool to the weekly museum lesson in the Stedelijk Museum; Source Wikimedia Commons The meaning of museums has evolved through time, and education was not always a large part of them. However, as stated by the International Council of Museums, it is increasingly seen as an essential component of museums today. Museums can have…
Curators as Artists in The Age of Curatorial Expression
Curators’ and artists’ responsibilities and identities have evolved in the art world, as has the fascinating space where these two worlds overlap. Curators grew in importance in the art world during the 1960s and 1970s. This is when conceptualist ideas became prominent, resulting in a new and daring manner of curating known as “curatorial expression.”…
Documenta’s Journey Through Time: Navigating Ongoing Challenges in Art Curation
We’re familiar with the contemporary role of curators, extending beyond selecting artworks and presenting them beautifully in a white cube. Storytelling, a practice ingrained in human history through various mediums like visual representation, oral tradition, and written documentation, stands as one of our oldest traditions—a pillar without which societies might collapse. In the realm of…
A(MUSE)ING THE SELF – Curatorial Endeavors
Sacred rivers have evermore been personified as female divinities in Indian mythology. These water bodies are particularized as “pure” or “sacred,” though reality may be far from it today. In evidence, the clothing industry too views women as fluid, capable of morphing into any shape they are poured into–obligated to it trends that appear and…
A Study on Dollatry – Introduction
Dolls have been mothers; dolls have been sons and daughters. They are also known for companionship – matrimonial or otherwise. For millennia, human beings have had relationships with dolls that are more complex than words can explain. Attempts have been made in the past, and being constantly made in the present to account all human…
A Study on Dollatry – Folk Doll Communities of India
The Indian population has an unquenchable thirst for rich heritage, culture, and ethnicity; toys and dolls have contributed to this vibrant culture since the dawn of civilization. Dolls and puppets are known as putlika in Sanskrit, which comes from the words putra and putri that indicate son and daughter; hence, the term signifies as a…
Art Theoretica 