Art is regarded as a part of culture, but it is important to remember that there are other components as well, such as the education system, social control, political structure, economy, religious belief and so on. Due to the interrelationship of these elements, art cannot be judged in isolation. Art is molded by the social, economic and political milieu.
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Bhanu Rajopadhye Athaiya’s work as a costume designer was not merely an artistic pursuit; it was deeply rooted in India’s cultural revival, a process significantly influenced by the efforts of Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay. Kamaladevi, a pioneering force behind India’s handloom revival, brought traditional fabrics to the forefront of both fashion and cinema, shaping the way Indian textiles were appreciated in urban spaces.
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Today, my mind drifts back to the evocative days of the 1930s. My journey through Art School was still unfinished in those days, with lessons yet to unfold. During those days, a small circle of us artist-friends would often set out together, sketchpads in hands, to capture the world outdoors through sketching once classes were over.
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I have generally seen her (Lady Ranu Mookerjee) become active by relying on the Academy since 1950. Lady Ranu was then a member of the Sahitya Chakra 'Rabibasar’, At that time, she also held the position of the president of the Academy of Fine Arts.
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As we trace Bhanu Athaiya’s creative journey back to her roots in Kolhapur, we uncover a fascinating commonality between her, M.V. Dhurandhar, and John Lockwood Kipling. All three artists celebrated the essence of Indian life and craftsmanship, particularly through their depictions of fakirs and artisans.
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As we once again visited Keren SouzaKohn's lively home studio nestled amidst the lush green paddies and red roads of Saligao, our gaze fell on her colourful artworks reflecting life in Goa. Splashes of green, blue and intimate depictions of unhurried life in the coastal paradise uncovered vibrant portrayals of quiet village moments, the local folk and bustling markets. This immediately made us wonder about her artistic journey so far, and hence we embarked on yet another interview focusing on the life and art of Keren SouzaKohn.
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A qualified lawyer, trained painter, an explorer and archaeologist, a poet and historian, a scientist, philosopher and an advocate for peace, Nicholas Roerich was a man who donned many hats. Roerich was born in St Petersburg in 1874 to an affluent family. His father was a well established lawyer who insisted Roerich completed his law studies. However, his passion for exploration, led him to create a painting, ‘The Messenger’, which was purchased by the Moscow Museum.
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Chittaprosad’s body of work was a visceral response to the pain and turmoil around him in mid-20th century India. His oeuvre echoes Nina Simone’s rhetorical question: How can you be an artist and not reflect the times? His works seethe with rage yet weep with compassion for the suffering. Chittaprosad Bhattacharya holds up a mirror to society and we peer into it, not able to look away. We are inflamed, enchanted, disconcerted and angered all at once.
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This would be an important never-before-seen exhibition exploring six decades of Modernism in Indian art and avant-garde art on the blockchain.
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This research originates from an insightful question-and-answer session with Keren SouzaKohn, the daughter of Francis Newton Souza. Set against the backdrop of the red earth roads, lush green paddy fields, and winding lanes of Saligao, Goa—Souza's birthplace—our conversation unveiled fascinating possibilities. What began as a simple dialogue soon transformed into a path-breaking interview, shedding new light on the art of F.N. Souza and the influences that shaped his work.
Read MoreIn an exclusive interview, Keren SouzaKohn delves into her unique upbringing under the shadow of her father, the legendary artist F.N. Souza. Growing up in a household steeped in art and creativity, Keren shares her early experiences, the profound influence of her father, and the eclectic mix of creative influences that shaped her artistic perspective.
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SouzaKohn, daughter of the legendary Indian artist Francis Newton Souza, is a distinguished artist in her own right. Her evocative paintings capture everyday objects and familiar environments, transforming them into dynamic compositions filled with passion and vigor. Born in London, Keren completed her foundation course at Hornsey College of Art and earned a BA (Hons) in Fine Art from Ravensbourne College of Art. Her extensive career includes numerous solo exhibitions, with a recent focus on her work with oils.
Read MoreAmina Ahmed Kar’s intellectual and creative pursuits were ever evolving. Her dual legacy as an artist and academic is reflected in her oeuvre, which remains largely unexplored. As one of India's early abstract artists, she created works across various mediums. Call it the academic in her who would leave no leaf unturned or an artist in search of her creative expression, Kar’s body of work transformed endlessly.
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Shanu Lahiri was Nirode Majumdar's sister and reminisces here about the formation of the Calcutta group in her book ' Smritir Collage' . The quotes and translations are from the same.
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The text translates pages from an article in Anushtup, a leftist journal that documents the beginnings of the Calcutta group and their Bombay affiliations via P.C. Joshi et al.
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The first of the transcripts documenting the formation of the 'Calcutta Group' , a letter dated March 1942 written by Subho Tagore in Calcutta to Rathin Maitra in Pabna foreseeing a vision in creating something to illuminate the nation's art!
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For those who may not remember, SkyNet was the name of the program in the movie Terminator. The virus that initiated the rise of the machines. I refer to this moment as the SkyNet moment in art. 'The Avatar Series' is a series of artwork, a profile picture project generated using an AI engine. GPT4o (the latest and greatest in AI) is NOT able to make out whether the art is made by a person or a computer, whether it is made as an oil on canvas or digitally.
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Generative NFTs have been ranked on the rarity of traits. The same is; however, not possible for the 'The First Avatars' as each artwork is unique coming from a neural net. It will be possible to do a classification analysis at some point in the future to analyze which traits best fit which image portrait, but that is not an easy classification task. We look at some of the numerical ratings schemes proposed by GPT4.0.
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In trying to ascertain the quality of the images produced, we decided to chat with GPT-4.0. Please note that the artworks (The First Avatars) were painstakingly created after training a StyleGan model with portraits and various augmentations.
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I pen here a few words about the remarkable artist Rathin Maitra. I knew Rathin Maitra by reputation as one of the luminaries of the Calcutta (present Kolkata) art scene. But I met Rathin Maitra for the first time in the 1950s at the Academy of Fine Arts in Calcutta.
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