Geru

This exhibition is an ode to us, Contemporary Indians, recognised world over for our global outlook but who continue to uphold our Indian tradition and culture. The essence of our culture permeates our lives through art, cultural practices, eclectic Indian food and fusion Indian clothing and countless other intangible ways. Some of our choices are purely and intrinsically Indian, while others are a beautiful blend of both. As a society, our interest in the past has been surging in India and there is a renewed sense of pride in all things intrinsically Indian.

My own interest in our heritage is very personal; I spent years on end appreciating classical art  in the hallowed halls of the National Museum, New Delhi as I pursued my Master’s in Art History there; there was a serious culture for art and all things Indian and ancient in my home and I even painted a page from the Chaurpanchashika as a Mewar style miniature for my own wedding card.

As author Namit Arora writes in his book, Indians - A Brief History of a Civilisation, ‘We live with this illusion that our physical and cultural worlds have a certain solidity and stability, that despite inevitable change, they will endure long after us, bearing our legacy and progeny’……even when we are aware of the many lost worlds that archaeologist have dug out’. 

Acknowledging the value of Indian heritage and the urgency to preserve it, Art Centrix Space launches a new vertical- Art Centrix Heritage.

This title of this inaugural show - गेरू / Geru , is a painterly nod to the natural hand mulled Indian red ochre pigment that has been used for centuries in India. You’ll find traces of the pigment ebbing throughout the collection of vintage as well as contemporary but traditional paintings on exhibit here. Utmost care has been taken to source the most exquisite paintings from the finest schools of painting which use only natural pigments and stone colours on the finest cottons. Browse through delightful and detailed Vaishnava tradition Odisha Patachitras, Kalighat paintings from Bengal with elaborate compositions depicting rural life, a stunning Mata Ni Pachedi from Gujarat, some of the finest Pichwais with Srinathji as the central deity, genuine old Tanjores from a private collection, adorned with vibrant hues, iconic composition, gold foils and intricate embellishments and have stayed untarnished for over 80 years, and secular miniatures from Rajasthan.

For us as a gallery, it is imperative to show only genuine works. Among the vintage paintings which are both authentic and rare, a particularly exquisite Jaina Pichwai exhibited for the first time ever, comes from a private collection. Traditionally called Shatrunjaya Patas they specifically map the pilgrimage centre of Palitana on the Shatrunjaya hills in Gujarat. The Rasa Leela is a 60 years old work again from a private collection and the massive Annakoota Pichwai is some 90 years old. 

Supporting contemporary Indian art for the past 12 years, I felt it was equally imperative to showcase the works of contemporary artists who consistently work to push the boundaries of Indian heritage towards finding an important place in mainstream contemporary Indian art. Venkat Raman Singh Shyam, an important artist from the traditional Gond painting genre and nephew of Jangad Shyam, is a well established artist from this genre of painting who has developed his own unique language.

Satyabrata Sahoo, an Odisha based contemporary Indian artist represented by us is entrenched in Indian heritage and his almost miniature terracotta installations and sculptures are extremely powerful in their fragility, creating a unique harmony between strength and delicacy.

The duo together represent India as a culture that continuously evolves and not merely changes: it sort of flows like many tributaries of our rivers, finding new paths then merging into the vast Indian seas and oceans.

• Monica Jain