Overview

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ABOUT THE COURSE:This course introduces the diversity of art practices and material culture from the Indian subcontinent and situates them against their socio-cultural, political and temporal settings. The content is arranged according to materials and techniques to support an immersive approach to understanding Indian art. Focus on materials and practices will enable students to draw connections between the historical artifacts and contemporary objects from the immediate surroundings. This course is beneficial for art practitioners, aspiring art historians, educators, and those preparing for competitive examinations in India.After Partha Mitter’s concise compilation (2001) of the essential facets of the art in the Indian subcontinent from the Indus valley period until contemporary times, a comprehensive book on this area is eagerly anticipated. In the last two decades, dedicated studies on Chola sculptures (Dehejia 2006, 2021), Mughal architecture (Koch 2001, 2006; Michell 2011), Pahari miniature paintings (Goswamy 2009, 2021) and art after the independence of India (Kapur 2000; Mathur 2019; Khullar 2017) have presented fresh perspectives on these topics calling attention to examining the critical themes in Indian art, such as tradition, rupture, continuity and innovation. Drawing on these studies, the proposed course brings together the recent findings in Indian art and directs to the possible ways the students can explore these thematics.INTENDED AUDIENCE: Students enrolled in BFA, BA, B. Tech. Candidates preparing for competitive examinations in India. Students enthusiastic about art, culture and design histories.

Syllabus

Week 1 :Clay: Terracotta and Terracruda How is clay processed into objects? Brick structures and urns from the Indus Valley and Megalithic sites in south India Sculptures of terracotta and bronze from Harappa Terracruda or unbaked clay-made objects and rituals Week 2 :Architecture I: Basics of Buddhist and Jain architecture Wood, stone and living rock Stupa, vihara, caves and temples from Shunga, Kushana, Maurya and Gupta periods Week 3 :Pigment: Mineral and vegetal colours How pigment-based paints are processed and applied to walls Bhimbetka drawings Murals of Sittanavasal and Ajanta Week 4 :Architecture II: Hinduism and temple building Architectural treatise and utilisation of Vastupurusha mandala for making temples Temples of Badami Chalukyas, Rashtrakuta, Chola, Chandela and Eastern Ganga dynasties Week 5 :Stone: Memorials, Architectural Remnants and Objects Types of stone in India: Mathura Sandstone, Deccani Basalt, Rajasthani Marble Stone carving for architecture Hero stones and their social significance Household items and objects in royal court Week 6 :Garden Islam, the garden of paradise and afterlife Tombs, palace, garden and waterways from the Mughal and Deccani context Regional and foreign flora and fauna in Mughal and Deccani gardens Week 7 :Paper How does paper affect the character of painting and calligraphy? How are ink and pigments prepared? Jain manuscripts and Islamic treatise Mughal, Deccani, Rajput and Pahari miniature paintings Mysore and Tanjore paintings Week 8 :Printing: European Interventions Printmaking techniques and their application in books and images Bazar paintings of Kalighat and Battala woodcuts Lithograph and Oleograph from Calcutta, Pune and Lucknow Week 9 :“New” Colonial Media Company paintings, European watercolour and Indian artisans Oil painting in the Princely courts Raja Ravi Varma Week 10 :Daily Practice and Nationalism Gandhian philosophy and stress on day-to-day practices such as spinning, weaving and self-sustainability as decolonisation Alterative art education in Santiniketan, stress on habitual practice, co-existence of cultures Nandalal Bose, Gandhi and Haripura posters Overview of the significance of craft in nation-building Week 11 :Multimedia Approaches I:
Introduction to the key developments in Indian Art after 1947 Post-independence artistic and design practices Canvas painting, textile, furniture making between the 1950s and 1990s Week 12 :Multimedia Approaches II:
Neoliberalism, transnational connections and “new media” approaches Curatorial and collaborative projects between artists, educators and communities Biennale, entrepreneurship and expansive notion of “art” after 2010