A pioneering artist, Jangarh Singh Shyam redefined the Pardhan-Gond school of art. His signature style which was later named after him saw the evolution of Gond art from a ritualistic pictorial art made on the walls and floors to a more sophisticated menagerie of dots and dashes. This re-interpretation of the Gond art came to be famously known as Jangarh Kalam. Belonging to the Pardhan Gond community from the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, the artist was considered a cultural prodigy in his native village Patnagarh being an excellent flutist and painter. In 1981, the artist was invited by the legendary J. Swaminathan to work as an artist at Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal. It was at Bharat Bhavan, one of the country's most prestigious museums of tribal and contemporary Indian art, Jangarh Singh Shyam grew as an artist as his creative practice underwent sweeping changes. Mentored by Swaminathan, Shyam’s inheritance in traditional music and storytelling blossomed into a distinctive style of image-making, imparting his paintings a rare life force and energy. As his popularity grew, Shyam found himself amidst the changing contemporary Indian art scene that was becoming more global in its outlook and more inclusive in its representation. It was for the first time we saw that the historically marginalized gained momentum and ground in the narrative space of the country. The artist gained major recognition when he participated in the Magiciens de la terre exhibition held at Centre Pompidou, Paris in 1989, and in Jyotindra Jain’s Other Masters exhibition at the Crafts Museum, New Delhi in 1998. The artist was also commissioned to paint the interiors of Vidhan Bhavan, the Legislative Assembly of Madhya Pradesh, and the dome of Bharat Bhavan. Posthumously, his painting Landscape with Spider (1988) was sold for a record price of $31,250 at Sotheby's New York auction in 2010, marking a first for an adivasi (vernacular) artist. Gleaning from the vast repertoire of tales, ballads, folklore, and fantasies of the Pardhan-Gond community, Shyam fabricated them into his visual narrative, thus bringing the ancient myths and stories to life. As he sought inspiration from the past and the present, the rural and the urban, the real and the imagined, a new visual vocabulary emerged that gave concrete shapes and forms to his community’s myths, legends, fables, tattoos, and music, which were, till then, hidden from the ‘mainstream’ society. It marked a paradigmatic shift in contemporary Indian art when the artist started using canvases, acrylic, oil and pen instead of the traditional charcoal, coloured soil, plant sap, leaves, cow dung, limestone powder, etc. This effective adaptation of the new media, tools and newer themes resulted in unforeseen results and inspired a generation of Gond artists to learn from Jangarh Singh Shyam. Jangarh Kalam, or Jangarh Singh Shyam’s personal rendition of the Pardhan Gond art instilled a creative energy that surged with the emergence of individuality and personal style in a traditionally collective society where artmaking was a group endeavour. In Jangarh Kalam, the images are transcribed from oral narratives that take shape as birds, flying snakes, or growing trees, floating to the rhythm of the music in diverse innovative variations. From enchanted woodlands to aero planes, indigenous deities, childhood stories, and animals, Shyam used colourful dots and peripheral contours of radiating lines to create these unique shapes and patterns reverberating with movement, fluidity, and power. In a tragic turn of events, the visionary artist took his own life at the age of 39 while he was on an international art residency at the Mithila Museum, Japan. While the artist died young, he inspired a legion of young men and women from his community who followed him and were mentored by him in the style he created incidentally. Today, many well-known Gond artists including Shyam’s wife and children and those who apprenticed under him continue to work in the Jangarh Kalam tradition keeping it alive and vibrant. Jangarh Singh Shyam, Paysage avec Araignée (Landscape with Spider), 1988 Image courtesy: Sotheby’s Jangarh Singh Shyam, The Seprpent Shesha Holding The Earth on his Hood, ca. late 1980s Collection and image courtesy: Museum of Art & Photography (MAP), Bangalore Jangarh Singh Shyam, Ped, Chidiya Aur Hawaijahaz (Trees, Birds, and an Airplane), 1996 Collection and image courtesy: Museum of Art & Photography (MAP), Bangalore Jangarh Singh Shyam, Phulwari Devi, early 1990s Collection and image courtesy: Museum of Art & Photography (MAP), Bangalore Jangarh Singh Shyam, Untitled, 1989 Collection: FONDATION CARTIER PARIS

RtistiQ

10 Jun 2022

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In the one-century life span of abstract art, female abstract painters are not hard to find, to name just a few: Sonia Delaunay (a multidisciplinary artist who achieved success during her lifetime only due to her commercial work, whereas her husband Robert Delaunay was regarded as a serious artist), Lee Krasner (whose contribution to art history has been for a long time overshadowed by her marriage to the abstract expressionist painter Jackson Pollock), Elaine de Kooning (an accomplished artist, member of the Eighth Street Club in New York City she was mostly known as Mrs. William de Kooning, she dedicated most of her life to supporting her husband’s career), Barbara Hepworth (less recognized than her contemporary and fellow British artist Henry Moore), Françoise Gilot (the French-American artist who never managed to escape the “Picasso’s lover” title) and the list can go on. These talented artists have been less visible, not to say “invisible”, to an art establishment blinded by gender bias. Despite a recent shift in mentality and contemporary culture, female artists are still seen as “less” than their male counterparts. Female abstract painters and women artists, in general, deserve more awareness. Christel Haag is a commercially successful German abstract artist. Her work is very process-orientated. She plays with various contrasting effects on canvas by using an entire arsenal of mark-making in her process. The evolution of her paintings does not follow a predetermined concept. Rather, her works gradually evolve through an intuitive and dynamic process. Despite the gestural process, a coherent painting emerges. Haag finds her inspiration in nature. She translates into marvellous color combinations the beauty and harmony that surrender her. Lot 34 Are we Flying In her own words: "In 2002 I made the decision to give up my career in Public Relations at a university, follow my heart and retrain as an artist. Once I made the decision to open the door to my creative urges, I felt that I had to go back to the beginning to discover who I really am as an artist. It was as if I granted myself the right to be free again, free without boundaries or pre-existing ideas of who I should be as an artist. Over the years my experiences led to my colorful, abstract, dynamic, and gestural style of painting. I always try to go to my creative limits while experimenting and giving my artworks my individual expression. Nature inspires me. The marvellous impressions I take home from my travels. Also, I express in my paintings the mood and feeling of a particular moment in time. It is first and foremost the joy of painting, of colors, of the creative process itself, and of the energy of being that drives my artistic creation." 5 vivid paintings from Haag’s portfolio have been minted as unique NFT digital editions and are sold at auction in our coming event SHE IS UNSTOPPABLE. Browse her art and choose your favourite. Don’t forget to register for the auction. Bidding starts May 14th.

RtistiQ

01 May 2022

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Below, we’ve assembled a list of the top 10 most influential female artists alive today. These women have left an incredible mark on the art world, and while their importance to the current scene is important, their impact will no doubt be felt for generations to come. Cindy Sherman Courtesy of Cindy Sherman Cindy Sherman made a name for herself through intricate self-portrait photography. Taking advantage of her skills as a costume maker and make-up artist, Sherman’s early work began exploring identity by using the artist’s body as the canvas. Her work frequently explores the place of women in the media and cultural landscape. Untitled Film Stills (1977-80) saw Sherman dressing as B-movie characters. In Centerfolds (1981), she upended the expectations of the male gaze, presenting complicated female characters where one might expect titillating, sexualized images. Her latest work speaks directly to the tools we use to communicate with each other. She now takes self-portraits using her phone, manipulating the images using multiple “face tuning” apps. The results are provocative and often disturbing. Tracey Emin Courtesy of Tracey Ermin Tracey Emin is no stranger to controversy. Her work is striking and confrontational, as well as deeply autobiographical. Her work reaches across an enormous array of mediums, from drawing, painting, and sculpture to neon text, film, photography, and sewn appliqué. Some of her installations made major waves in the art world. She premiered Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963–1995 (1997) at the Royal Academy of London. The work is a tent that visitors can enter into, and on the walls are appliquéd the names of, you guessed it, everyone the artist had slept with. It serves as a kind of haunted space, especially in the greater context of Ermin’s work that challenges the role that sex plays in the perception of women. She has gone on to be a professor at the Royal Academy of Arts and a prolific, widely influential artist of our time. Yayoi Kusama Courtesy of Wikimedia Yayoi Kusama is an artist working in sculpture and installation, as well as many other mediums. She became a fixture of the 1960’s counterculture, organizing happenings where participants were nude and covered in painted polka dots. Beginning in 1963, Kusama began creating her Infinity Rooms, a series of installations in which the walls of the rooms were covered in mirrors with colorful balls of light hanging at different lengths from the ceiling. The effect is the perception that the room of lights goes on forever. Her public installation work continues to appear across the world, including Brazil, Japan, Singapore, and beyond. Marina Abramović Courtesy of Wikimedia Marina Abramović is likely the most important and influential performance artist of our time. Her newsworthy works have captured the attention of the artworld for decades, and she isn’t done yet. The Artist is Present (2010) saw Abramović sitting at a table at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art. Visitors were invited to sit across the table from Abramović. This went on to become the largest performance art exhibit in MoMA’s history. On top of her amazing career as an artist, she is also a philanthropist and a supporter of young artists through her Marina Abramović Institute. Judy Chicago Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum Judy Chicago is a major name in the worlds of both art and feminism, with her career striking a path that unites them. Many of her unique techniques are borrowed from boat building, auto body repair, and similar disciplines — what the artist calls the “macho arts.” The Dinner Party (1979) is likely Chicago’s most important work to date. It shows a dinner table set in a triangle, with 39 places set for female heroes, both real and mythical. The dinner plates are all hand-painted homages to the woman who is seated there. The sprawling ambition and bold statement continue to fascinate and inspire people today. Shirin Neshat Courtesy of Wikimedia Shirin Neshat is an Iranian-born New York artist primarily working in photography, film, and video. Her work often focuses on the dichotomies, both socially constructed and eternal, that make up our world: Isamic and Western culture, male and female, public and private. Her film Women Without Men (2009) received the Silver Lion award at the Venice Film Festival. The film, based on the novel by Shahrnush Parsipur, depicts events during the British and American backed coup in Iran that overthrew their democratic government and installed the Shah as monarch in 1953. Vija Celmins Courtesy of SFMoMA Vija Celmins works in paintings and drawings, creating photorealistic pieces. She is celebrated today as one of the leaders in realism, though she pushes her work into almost abstract places by focusing on visual rhythm and the exclusive use of gray tones. Her early breakthrough saw her making exquisite replications of photojournalism, making masterful use of grayscale in her painting. These works highlighted how much of our world view at the time was dictated by black-and-white photographs and disseminated through the media. She has gone on to focus on sweeping visions of natural spaces and events. Much of her current work shows us starry skies, ocean waves, and other large and small scale views of the natural world. Bharti Kher Courtesy of Wikimedia Bharti Kher is an artist working sculpture, installation, and painting. Her work often speaks to realities of inhabiting a body as well as issues around culture. Perhaps her most popular work is The Skin Speaks a Language Not Its Own (2006). The piece depicts a full-size female elephant collapsed on the ground, covered in the traditional bindi — a mark made on the forehead among followers of Hinduism representing the third eye. By bringing together these two images of India, Kher creates a vivid embodiment of the country. Marlene Dumas Courtesy of Wikimedia Marlene Dumas is an artist working in the Netherlands who is known as one of the first three living women to sell an artwork above the $1 million mark. The notoriety is well deserved. Her work is always in ceaseless exploration of human moods and social conditions. Her paintings often eschew direct representation and instead make suggestions of emotional states. Her work often distorts faces and specifics, driving down into the heart of her subject. She continues to be a major name in the art world today. Dumas’s prolific career continues to challenge viewers and evoke what it means to be alive. Julie Mehretu Courtesy of Forbes Julie Mehretu works in painting, drawing, and printmaking, often focusing on the socio-economic realities of our time. Her meticulous work is precise but ultimately deeply felt, mapping out the psychology of people in the urban environment. Her pieces often take on an enormous scale, often two stories tall. Mehretu describes her mark-making process as one that charts the movements and interactions of people in their own societal context. While her compositions can be overwhelming and grand, when viewers take the time to look at it in detail, they often find surprising narratives emerge.

RtistiQ

19 Apr 2022

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With the advent of the 19th century, Indian art underwent significant changes in production and distribution with the first daguerreotype photography, Battala woodcut prints, Kalighat paintings, and lithographs. Now art came to be mass-produced, and Raja Ravi Varma led this movement through his oleographs. Largely credited as the man who brought the Gods home, Raja Ravi Varma redefined iconographic and aesthetic idiom in classical Indian art. Ravi Varma gave new meaning to collecting and owning art through his lithographic Press. This pioneering step made it possible for the common man to own a piece of art produced by the incredible Raja Ravi Varma! Credited for many-a-firsts, Raja Ravi Varma was world-renowned as the pioneering Indian painter that focused on perspective. He was also famous for using oil paint in his artworks. He led the pathbreaking approach by depicting Hindu gods and goddesses in a human form. His stories, settings, and scenes were replete with those of Hindu mythological works like Ramayana, Mahabharata, and the Puranas. We can say that he was the first Indian artist to gain widespread international fame at a time when painters and artisans largely remained either anonymous or unidentified; and the first to make his work available not just to a specific class of patrons but also to ordinary people by way of his oleographs. Artists and connoisseurs started converting canvas-based artworks into oleographs or chromolithographs in the 1830s. Europe was the first destination that saw the setting up of printing presses that made colorful lithographic art prints. Its demand soared on the back of commercialization in the 1860s. The process behind such reproduction was intricate. It helped artists to replicate on paper the brush strokes, textures, paintings, shades, hues, and colors of an oil painting. This held particular appeal to leading artists like Raja Ravi Varma. Until then, his artworks were available only to an exclusive group of affluent people. With these lithographs, the painter could expand access to his religious imagery far beyond his existing clientele. Raja Ravi Varma started The Ravi Varma Fine Art Lithographic Press in 1894 at Girgaum, later moving to Ghatkopar in Bombay, and finally shifted it to Malavli, near Lonavala, in 1899. The Press was the most extensive picture printing establishment in India and the most innovative. Along with hand-coloring, the process involved using as many woodblocks or litho-stones to match the colors and tones to transfer the image. It would take several months to produce an oleograph, depending on the number of colors in the original work. There is an interesting anecdote behind this work. The renowned painter was advised by Dewan Sir Tanjavur Madhava Row. He had a simple idea to meet the massive demand for replicas of his artworks. The painter could send his works to Europe, where his paintings could be replicated as oleographs. As it happened, this move led to a widespread clamor for Ravi Varma's works. Later, the painter and his brother Raja Raja Varma decided to set up and operate a press. For this, they took the help of Fritz Schleicher. He was instrumental in establishing the media and looking after its operations. In this venture, Ravi Varma partnered with a local entrepreneur, Govardhandas Khataumakhanji. The Ravi Varma Fine Art Lithographic Press commenced its operations in July 1894 with a chromolithograph, "Birth of Shakuntala" (Shakuntala/Sakoontala Janma). Two months after that (September 1894), the Press rolled out the oleographs of Lakshmi and Saraswati. This was considered highly radical for its times. This was because of a rampant tradition of restricting specific classes of society from accessing religious methods and places of worship. With the production of these two lithographs, several religious restrictions were crossed, thereby unilaterally democratizing all classes' equal access to the images of their beloved gods and goddesses. These images and many of those produced subsequently became objects of socio-religious and popular culture. The viewers conversed with these lithographs daily following a concept of 'darshan' ('seeing' a religious object) and 'prayer,' 'making these chromolithographs exceedingly important and relevant in the socio-cultural lives of households. The oleographs printed here were very popular and continued to be published in thousands for many years, even after the death of Raja Ravi Varma in 1906. Later, as each piece became unique and more valuable, many of Ravi Varma's oleographs were embellished with zardozi (gold and silver metallic threads), sequins, glitter, and beads. In today's day and age, these rare lithographs are prized collectibles. Check out the digital reproductions of these lithographs and more on our website: https://art.rtistiq.com/en/nftdrop/raja-ravi-varma-nft-auction. Raja Ravi Varma, Birth of Sakuntala (Shakuntala Janma) Image courtesy: Google Arts & Culture; Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation Raja Ravi Varma, (Lakshmi) Image courtesy: Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation Raja Ravi Varma, (Saraswati) Image courtesy: Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation

RtistiQ

18 Feb 2022

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“(Raja) Ravi Varma’s imaginary women are cyphers, they will never be realistic because very few people actually look like that. Every now and then in their own way, the women Ravi Varma imagined can and do reflect what we would like to see in ourselves and the world around us.” Deepanjana Pal Raja Ravi Varma, one of the greatest painters in Indian history, transcended boundaries between the real, ideal, and imaginary, particularly when it came to depicting women. From simple flowers to glittering jewellery, gorgeous brocades on cascading silks, Ravi Varma embellished his iconic women, thus reinterpreting the Indian ideal of feminine beauty with his fair-skinned, doe-eyed puranic nayikas (heroines), devis (goddesses), maharanis (queens) and apsaras (celestial nymphs) whose general demeanour is one of tender piety and sublime grace. Being the first to portray the sensuality and modesty of Indian women through Indian sensibilities and European techniques, he was perhaps the biggest influencer of his time. Arguably one of the most beautiful of Raja Ravi Varma’s nayikas is Radha. She exudes a soft beauty, intelligence and sensitivity. Not surprisingly, these traits are also found in the goddesses and strong females of orthodox literature across pan-India. Since her beauty transcended other definitions of beauty, Raja Ravi Varma has to exercise extra caution when bringing her to life on canvas. As human and godly loves coalesce in this relationship, we see Radha both as a lover and a devotee of Krishna. Perhaps this explains the pooja thali present in the portrait. It also showcases other symbols of spiritual devotion like the brass thali of flower assortment and sweet desserts. This shows the character prioritizing worship and devotion over the romantic play between the two. She is shown contently sitting on the rocks near the flowing water. The faint hint of a smile shows that she may have seen him approaching her. Radha in the Moonlight, 1890 Raja Ravi Varma had a knack for depicting historical and mythological lore in all his artworks. He also made the traditional, bold, and strong Indian woman as a central theme for his works showcased at the World Columbian Exposition. There was a specific purpose behind this action. He wanted to spread the Indian woman’s sophistication and attractiveness when she adorns herself in various Indian attires. The reason behind it is not hard to fathom. The painter wanted to tell the Western world that the characters etched on canvas in his artworks were real women and not a figment of his active imagination. This was his way of helping the traditional Indian lady to be exposed to a larger audience that spanned the globe. Dressed in a gorgeous nauvari saree, Expectation is a painting of a woman expectantly waiting for someone special is a quintessential Ravi Varma nayika. This character is depicted in a light that the Western and Indian world would connect with. It is easy to recognize the culture and affluence in the artwork. No wonder that it was a part of the Chicago exhibition. Expectation, 1893 Living from 1848 until 1906, Raja Ravi Varma’s regal portraiture went above and beyond the conventions of the genre, combining a heady mix of opulence, drama, flair, and storytelling. The famous painter also had Tamil Nadu as his base for a short time. In this period, he came up with artworks depicting several members of the imperial family. These include Maharaja Thondaiman of Pudukkottai, an art connoisseur, and his soulmate Janaki Subamma Bai Sahib. Some other works also included their sons and other members of the royal family. An intelligent and 'intriguing' woman, according to the British station-in-charge of Pudukkottai, Queen Janaki Subbamma was a capable and resourceful woman who realised that in matters of governance, the latter called the shots, leaving her to protect her turf. Ravi Varma added a lot of detailing to the jewellery that adorns her body. No wonder that the illuminance radiating from her gems and pearls is a standout feature of the artwork. Art fans will be drawn to the nose ring and the oversized jhumkas that Subbmma is shown wearing. The rich and vibrant aura of the royal is as visible in her glowing jewellery and saree as through her powerfully piercing gaze. Her Highness Janaki Subamma Bai Sahib of Pudukkottai, 1879 Raja Ravi Varma specialises in adding a human touch to ethereal Goddesses. This way, he tries to bridge the gap between the human and the divine. Such artworks go a long way in letting people re-think the traditional perceptions about womanhood. The artist has been considered an early pioneer of modern Indian art. His core competency in giving a human touch to the divine figures helped add a touch of realistic essence to the artworks. This was a pathbreaking milestone in the history of Indian Art. What today is taken for granted in our collective psyche is the reference of these humanlike forms of Gods, which bridge the gap between mythology, history, and religion. Through his affordable lithographs that reached almost every household, what lingers in every Indian male memory is bowing down in respect to the mother Goddess in her many forms. Evident in his artworks is the realistic depiction of the human form while weaving in the mythological aspect of Indian goddesses where they are depicted with four hands, holding a veena, lotus, prayer beads, etc. Goddess Saraswati, Ravi Varma Press, 1890 There Comes Papa shows how a regal lady from Malabar gesticulating her husband’s arrival to her infant son, whom she carries in her arms. The painting also shows a white and grey dog looking in the direction of the father’s arrival. An excited pet dog also looks towards the arriving father. Raja Ravi Varma had dispatched 10 works of art to the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago in 1893. There Comes Papa was one of the select paintings as a part of this batch of artworks. The inspiration behind the painting is dear to the painter. This is because it featured his eldest daughter as the mother with her own son. This painting has a note to describe the artwork. It says, “A Keralite mother clad in white cloth is preparing to go to the temple with her son at her arm. A dog is following.” The painting is a depiction of the blend of Western essence like a pet canine with an affluent yet traditional Keralite female of an era gone by. There Comes Papa, 1893 Amongst these extraordinary paintings, one portrait that stands out is of his formidable mother-in-law. Known in the family as Karutha Amooma ("the dark-complexioned grandmother"), the innately human Mahaprabha of Mavelikara comes across as a woman with dark complexion, bloodshot eyes, and an imperious glare. There are many indicators of her royal lineage. Take, for instance, her posture as she is seated. Art fans also note the brass prop and her shawl, which portrays an imperial air about her. This is a documentation of a matriarch in a social system that accords the women with authority and privilege. Ravi Varma’s world too had a heavy influence of such a matriarchal society, and his paintings too reflect the strong authority wielded by female characters. It remains an exceptional work depicting a woman of stern character without softening either her powerful countenance or her distinct physical features. Mahaprabha of Mavelikkara, 1880 Ravi Varma had a knack for portraying female characters that went against the cultural rules, style, and societal expectations. As a result, he managed to let an Indian beauty emerge that transcended regional parameters. No wonder that his artworks and female characters embodied the essence of classic and contemporary. He succeeded in letting art fans blur the distinction between the imaginary as real, and thus believe in both.

RtistiQ

31 Dec 2021

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The Government of India in the late 1970s named these nine iconic artists—Raja Ravi Varma, Amrita Shergill, Rabindranath Tagore, Jamini Roy, Abanindranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Gaganendranath Tagore, Sailoz Mookherjea, and Nicholas Roerich as National Treasures. We take a closer look at these Navaratnas who shaped the history of Indian modernism. RAJA RAVI VARMA (1848–1906) Widely regarded as the “father of modern Indian Art”, Raja Ravi Varma is best-known for his exquisite paintings and prints depicting Indian subjects using European techniques. As one of the earliest proponents of lithography in India – the art of producing a work on a flat stone or metal plate – he employed the technique to depict popular scenes and characters from Hindu epics and religious literature. Despite his close relationship with the royal family of Travancore, Ravi Varma was considered an artist of the people as his realistic portrayals and interpretations of religious and mythological figures captivated and fascinated the country. Raja Ravi Varma, Sita Bhumipravesh, 1880 Royal Gaekwad Collection, Lakshmi Vilas Palace, Vadodara, Gujarat ABANINDRANATH TAGORE (1871 – 1951) As the founder of the Bengal School of Art, Abanindranath Tagore sought to establish a distinctly Indian art that celebrated an indigenous cultural heritage rather than Western art and culture. A passionate exponent of Swadeshi values, Tagore staunchly rejected the teachings of Western academic art schools, finding inspiration in traditional Oriental art forms such as Mughal miniatures, the Ajanta murals, folk paintings, and Japanese printmaking. This was reflected in his graceful, elongated figures, gleaned from the Mughal style, depicted in a Japanese-inspired wash technique, which are sophisticated depictions of India’s unique spiritual and national identity. Abaninidranath Tagore, Queen Tissarakshita, ca. 1911 Royal Collection Trust, London, UK GAGANENDRANATH TAGORE (1867–1938) Gaganendranath Tagore, the older brother of Abanindranath Tagore, a self-trained watercolorist and cartoonist is considered one of the great pioneers of Indian art. Unlike his sibling, Gaganendranath embraced Western art movements including Cubism, Futurism, and German Expressionism at the turn of the century. Later in his career, Tagore turned to caricature. His playful cartoons of big-bellied politicians and bhadralok, meaning ‘gentleman’ in Bengali, are satirical observations of society at the beginning of the 20th century. Gaganendranath Tagore, Untitled, 1920 AMRITA SHER-GIL (1913–1941) Like Abanindranath Tagore, Amrita Sher-Gil was greatly inspired by the frescoes of Ajanta as well as the Mughal school of painting. Born to a Hungarian mother and aristocratic Sikh father, Sher-Gil’s early years were spent training in Paris. Respected for her powerful self-portraits and bohemian lifestyle, Sher-Gil was described as the “Indian Frida Kahlo”. Despite her privileged upbringing, the artist’s paintings vividly depicted the daily lives of ordinary people. During her lifetime, Sher-Gil steadily gained recognition across Europe and she remains one of the greats of Indian art history. Amrita Sher-Gil, Self Portrait (7), 1930 National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi NANDALAL BOSE (1882–1996) Born into a middle-class Bengali family in the late 19th century, Nandalal Bose created some of the most iconic images in Indian history—including his depiction of Mahatma Gandhi walking with a staff, which became an iconic symbol for the non-violence movement, and his illustrations in the Constitution of India. As the principal at Kala Bhavan, Santiniketan, Bose also had a significant influence on the next generation of artistic heavyweights like Benode Behari Mukherjee and K.G. Subramanyan, filmmaker Satyajit Ray and many others. Nandalal Bose, Annapurna, 1943 National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi JAMINI ROY (1887–1972) Another gem in the treasure trove of Indian artistic talent, Jamini Roy was born in Beliatore, West Bengal. Roy’s bold, sweeping brushstrokes and flat swathes of ochre, leafy green, vermillion, and blue show the heavy influence of traditional Bengali Kalighat painting – a 19th-century school of modern art that originated in Calcutta and was given its name due to the burgeoning settlement of patuas or cloth-painters around the temples of Kali at Kalighat in the city. Jamini Roy, Mother and Child, mid-1920s National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi RABINDRANATH TAGORE (1861–1941) The Nobel laureate poet, Rabindranath Tagore reshaped modern Bengali literature. In 1919, Tagore founded Kala Bhavan, which remains one of India’s finest art institutions. Unlike his nephews Abanindranath and Gaganendranath, Rabindranath turned to art towards the end of his life. Inspired by New Zealander scrimshaw carvings, German woodcuts, and sculptures from the Pacific Islands, the artist’s international outlook was reflected in unique artworks that appeared at the margins of his manuscripts alongside poetry and song lyrics. Rabindranath Tagore, Dancing Woman, 1928/1940 National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi NICHOLAS ROERICH (1874–1947) Nicolas Roerich remains the only artist not from India who was named a national treasure. The Russian artist developed a deep and spiritual connection with the country and came to be celebrated for his luminescent scenes of the snow-capped Himalayan peaks rendered in icy blues and vivid purples. As a passionate activist for the defense of cultural objects, Roerich’s visions are not only picturesque but reveal a profound relationship with the landscape. Nicholas Roerich, Krishna (Spring in Kulu), 1930 Nicholas Roerich Museum, New York, USA SAILOZ MOOKHERJEA (1906–1960) Attributed by art critic Richard Bartholomew as India’s “most significant painter…after Amrita Sher-Gil”, Sailoz Mookherjea received little recognition during his lifetime. Nonetheless, the artist’s impact on Indian modernism is monumental and he remains celebrated for his innovative scratching of the paint to create tactile and vigorous markings. Sailoz Mukherjea, Untitled (Two Sisters), 1959

RtistiQ

12 Nov 2021

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Geometry is, to some degree, the basis of all painting. Artists use the basic shapes to construct a different world. By combining them in ever more elaborate ways, incredibly complex images can arise. That’s the way that geometry was used in art for thousands of years. But as modern art began to emerge, artists started using basic geometry in an abstract way. Thus the term Geometric Abstraction was developed. Rather than making art that represented real life with these fundamental shapes, artists went directly to the shapes themselves. What they found as they began doing this was a rich, mostly untold history of geometric abstraction. Cultures native to the American Southwest had been employing this style going back countless generations. Muslim cultures, given Islam’s ban on representative images, had their own tradition. And the list goes on, including yantra designs in India and Aboriginal art in Australia. Drawing from these traditions and striking out paths on their own, many artists began exploring abstract geometric art, and the results speak for themselves. Geometry art, with its emphasis on geometric shapes in art, opens up new dimensions of artistic expression. From intricate patterns to minimalist designs, artists explore the inherent beauty of geometric shapes and their interconnections. By manipulating lines, angles, and forms, geometric art stimulates visual perception and invites contemplation. Let’s look through the five of the most famous artists in the field. Piet Mondrian Composition No. 10 (1942) by Piet Mondrian Piet Mondrian (1872 to 1944) was born in the Netherlands. But his career went far afield of his homeland. Over his lifetime, he helped create abstract art. His work gradually moved from the representational to the purely abstract, giving us a clear view into the development of his thinking and style. His most popular geometric abstract art paintings contain large amounts of white space, intersected by straight lines, with some fields of primary color. That style became synonymous not only with the artist but with the growing field of modern art itself. These paintings are sophisticated, direct, and show a radical break with Western art. They remain some of the most iconic paintings of the 20th — or any — century. Wassily Kandinsky Squares with Concentric Circles (1913) by Wassily Kandinsky Like Piet Mondrian, Wassily Kandinsky (1866 to 1944) helped invent abstract art as we know it today. And like his contemporary, his career began as a representational artist — though he continued to push the boundaries until finally taking the leap into pure abstraction. Kandinsky’s influence is felt both from the art he created and for the theoretical works that he wrote. He helped clarify our thinking on just what geometric abstraction art is and how it works, as well as answer why we should paint in this style at all. Music had a major effect on him. Since it is purely abstract, he borrowed terms from music to describe his work and painting in general. He also imbued his art with profound spiritual feeling. Sonia Delaunay Rhythme (1938) by Sonia Delaunay Sonia Delaunay (1885 to 1979) was a force to be reckoned with. She co-founded Orphism — an art movement that combined the exuberant color of Fauvism with the visual abstraction of Cubism, all while pushing both into new frontiers past any representation. Her work is also notable for its scope. She was a painter first, but took the ideas she discovered in her studio and applied them to a wide range of practical items, like clothing and furniture. She even famously decorated a Mantra M530A sports car. Today, Delaunay’s paintings are considered high level classics in the field of geometric abstraction. Barnett Newman Onement 1 (1948) by Barnett Newman Barnett Newman (1905 to 1970) is one of the most controversial artists of the 20th century. Not because of the content of his paintings, but because of how confrontationally content-less his paintings were. He started developing surrealism paintings before landing on his devastatingly simple style. His canvases often contain just two colors, with one large field interrupted by a single stripe (consider Onement 1 pictured above). His work Who’s Afraid of Red, Yellow and Blue III was famously attacked by Gerard Jan van Bladeren, who stabbed it with a knife in 1986. After its $400,000 restoration, van Bladeren returned in 1997 to stab it again. He couldn’t find the painting, so he chose to deface Newman’s Cathedra instead. Kazimir Malevich Suprematism (1915) by Kazimir Malevich Kazimir Malevich (1879 to 1935) was a Russian artist whose career was not entirely in abstract art, though he gave us some of the most striking pieces in the field. He founded the school of Suprematism with his 1915 manifesto on the subject. His new art movement was based on simple shapes painted in few colors. This laid the groundwork for geometric abstraction. His suprematist paintings are daring in their simplicity, dramatic in their composition. This work goes to show that using the barest of essential elements, an artist can still make us think and, most importantly, feel. Conclusion Abstract art has captivated the world with its unconventional beauty and the boundless creativity it offers. Over the years, numerous abstract artists have risen to fame, leaving an indelible mark on the art world. Their famous abstract artwork continues to inspire and challenge perceptions of what art can be. One prominent aspect of abstract art is the incorporation of geometric elements. Geometric abstract art explores the use of precise shapes, lines, and compositions to convey emotions and ideas. The interplay of geometric forms creates a visually captivating experience, showcasing the artist's mastery of balance, symmetry, and spatial relationships. Famous abstract artists such as Wassily Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian, and Kazimir Malevich are celebrated for their contributions to geometric abstraction. Their bold geometric paintings and compositions have become iconic representations of the movement, pushing boundaries and defying traditional artistic norms. Passionate about Geometric Abstraction? Discover a handpicked selection of contemporary geometric abstract art and explore their visual language, hidden meanings and analogies.

RtistiQ

12 Oct 2021

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Surrealism painting is an amazing genre. It stormed the art world in the early 20th century, upending our notions of what could be painted and what the source of an artwork could be. Using the bizarre imagery from dreams, surrealists set the stage for a new force in all the visual arts — from painting to film, from literature to even music. The style revolutionized how we create. As with any groundbreaking movement, women made up a large portion of the best and most popular surrealist artists. Unfortunately, most people with a casual understanding of the field only know about Salvador Dali. Let’s set things right and celebrate some amazing women surrealists from around the world. Kay Sage Tomorrow is Never (1955) by Kay Sage The American Kay Sage’s (1898 to 1963) work falls on the dark side of the surrealist realm. Her pieces are brooding, desolate, and strange in the way that nightmare landscapes are strange. In other words, her work is incredible. Her paintings frequently make use of architectural motifs, often in a state of decay. She often used landscapes to define a large space, with dreary cloud cover to create an atmosphere of dread. While she was relatively well known during her lifetime, she never quite reached the heights that her work deserves. There is some renewal of interest in her today, and we hope that it continues. Her contribution to the surrealist movement should never be forgotten. Leonora Carrington The Giantess (1947) by Leonora Carrington Leonora Carrington (1917 to 2011) was born in the UK, though her later life in Mexico has made her legacy split by the Atlantic Ocean. Carrington was a prolific painter whose career marched on across seven decades. Over that time, her output included painting, sculpture, and writing. Many of her paintings draw from mythology, with an eerie starkness that brings a certain tinge of terror to her canvases. The contemporary art market has moved Carrington paintings for huge sums of money, like the $1.5 million price that The Giantess (pictured above) garnered in 2009. While in Mexico, she not only thrived as an artist but also as a political activist, helping to found the women’s liberation movement there in the 70s. JeeYoung Lee Love Seek (2014) by JeeYoung Lee JeeYoung Lee (born 1983) is an artist from South Korea. Her work is a contemporary play on surrealist imagery. Her process usually involves creating elaborate sets in her studio. She then photographs these dreamscapes, usually using herself as the model. Lee’s work is captivating and freeing to witness. The bizarre merges with the candy colored to create a trademark style. It’s also refreshing to see what artists can do by combining surrealism with photography. By bringing in reality through the camera, the effect of the strangeness is all the more poignant. While still fairly young, Lee has already achieved a high level of notoriety and exhibited internationally. Her name will no doubt continue to rise in the art world, as she has so much more time to produce great surrealist art. Portia Zvavahera Arising From the Unknown (2019) by Portia Zvavahera Portia Zvavahera (born 1985) was born in Harare, Zimbabwe, where she lives today. Her work takes some influence from her homeland, and her imagery is often taken from her dreams — a cornerstone of surrealism. Zvavahera’s brushwork and printmaking are brought together on canvases that express deeply human challenges, all while reveling in otherworldly settings. Her use of bold colors and striking composition wring out a great level of emotion in her work. Her paintings are widely celebrated around the world. She appears in international shows, in both solo and group exhibitions, and she has emerged as one of the most important contemporary voices in the art world. Remedios Varo Useless Science or the Alchemist (1955) by Remedios Varo Remedios Varo (1908 to 1963) was born in Spain, though her career took her across the world. She participated in the first wave of surrealism, helping to lay the groundwork for all the generations to come. While her painting is forward thinking in some respects, she took a great deal of influence from Renaissance art. Many of her paintings are highly allegorical, balanced in composition, and painted with many techniques borrowed from Renaissance masters. This gives her work a high level of continuity with the history of European art, despite her surrealist content. By the time of her death in the early 60s, Varo’s influence had spread far and wide. Her 1971 retrospective in Mexico City drew larger crowds than a similar event for Diego Rivera. That level of popularity is well deserved, as she left behind a stunning legacy of artwork. Passionate about Surrealism? Discover our curated collection of Surrealism paintings. This collection is perfect for art lovers who are looking to decorate their homes/offices.

RtistiQ

08 Oct 2021

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With the excitement of the Summer Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 still fresh in our memory and the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 just around the corner, Japan is still on our minds. Unfortunately, we were not able to cheer live for our favorite athletes or to get lost in translation on Tokyo’s vibrant streets, but nothing stops us from discovering more about the unique Japanese history, culture, and art. Because of its long isolation as an island nation, Japan’s history overflows with one-of-a-kind perspectives and unique cultural forms. That independent streak makes Japanese art an always exciting realm of new experiences and fresh ideas. Over the 20th century, Japanese artists also began leading the pop art blend of mainstream fare with a critical artistic lens, while often embedding a rich mixture of themes and nods to historical legacy. Despite Japan’s incredible cultural output, many people around the world are not nearly as familiar with artists from the nation as they should be. Below, we’ve put together a list of five Japanese artists you should know. This is by no means a comprehensive list, and it’s in no particular order. This is a quick stroll through Japanese visual art, something to get you started on your own journey of discovery. 1. Mariko Mori Courtesy Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami Mariko Mori (1967) is an artist known for work in many fields, including: sculpture, digital art, and photography. Her oeuvre is filled with futuristic visions embedded with a profound influence from Japanese history. Her work plays with imaginative worlds and space-age forms, and the end result is always ethereal and mysterious. Some of Mori’s pieces are particularly sweeping in scope. Primal Rhythm saw her place sculptures in a bay, standing above the water in haunting silence. One, Sun Pillar, is a transparent sculpture that juts out of a large rock. Beside it in the water is Moon Stone, an orb that changes its color depending on the tide. While the shapes and material appear futuristic, they collaborate with the natural environment. It’s both beautiful and poignant, and it gives us an opportunity to rethink the way we interact with the world around us. Mori’s profile has steadily risen since the 1990s, and for good reason. She continues to explore new methods while staying true to the conceptual depth and attention to form that have made her work an integral part of contemporary art. 2. Yuko Mohri Copyright Yuko Mohri Yuko Mohri (1980) is an installation artist who recombines items from our day-to-day life into what she calls “ecosystems.” These installations often seem perilously balanced. Mohri includes sound and narrative as well, often telling stories through Rube Goldberg-like contraptions. In Moré Moré (Leaky), the artist made visual riffs on the use of buckets and plastic to catch leaking rain water that she saw in a subway station. Many of her pieces focus on the relationship between the human built world and the natural world. But the work is never overly ponderous. Often, the installations create a sense of fun. 3. Takashi Murakami Copyright Takashi Murakami Takashi Murakami (1962) is one of the most controversial artists in the contemporary scene. His anime-influenced sculpture and design have become the center of massive debates in the art world. Plus, his forays into commercial work have made him more popular than ever among fashionistas while angering art world purists. Murakami describes his style as “superflat,” a term he also used for postwar Japanese culture as a whole. Aesthetically, the term refers to Japan’s legacy of 2D art with little use of perspective. But societally, it points to the reduction of class influence on Japan. Today, Murakami asserts, the differences between high and low culture have flattened out into a single plane. Murakami has done everything from an anime-character sculpture show at Versaille, album covers for the likes of Kanye West, and hypebeast fashion crossover designs with Supreme. His flower motif is world famous, appearing on Louis Vuitton bags and jewelry worn by hip hop artists. It’s become a kind of calling card for the rebel. Today, he devotes a large amount of his time cultivating the careers of young Japanese artists while still making art that destroys our notion of high and low culture. 4. Yoshitomo Nara Courtesy Wikipedia Yoshitomo Nara (1959) is a sculptor and painter who creates images of childhood with an unsettling undercurrent of horror. His subject matter is very consistent, but it is through this steady stream of similar images that he’s been able to communicate so effectively. His characters, children with cartoonishly large eyes, are often engaged in naughty behavior, a rebelliousness that matches the artist’s own. Nara constantly subverts the nostalgia of childhood while still evoking it. The effect is a strange blend of the cute and concerning. Nara is closely associated with another member of this list, Murakami, as both a contemporary and as a fellow traveller in the superflat school. But while Murakami is in a pitched battle between the high and low, Nara is much more focused on the expression of genuine human emotion. In 2020, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art held a retrospective of Nara’s work spanning 36 years. The major event has helped boost his recognition outside of Japan. A well-earned honor 5. Yasumasa Mormura Copyright Yasumasa Mormura Yasumasa Mormura(1951) is a master of parody and humorous counterfeiting. But while many of his pieces are great fun, his career has an undercurrent of serious critique at its heart. Mormura’s pieces appropriate the great works of Western art and other iconic images, inserting his own photography into them. The works are strangely shocking. We are so used to the Mona Lisa, we feel at home within its frame. And then to see it changed into a self portrait of Mormura himself turns everything on its head. It’s a confrontation with the dominance of Western culture throughout the world. It subverts not only our expectation of a given painting, but our expectation of Western art as the source of all great masterpieces. In this way, Mormura is something of a punk rock artist. His themes of identity and imperialism are incredibly relevant to our times. That is why, late in his career, Mormura is still able to command attention for his important work. Asian art is more popular than ever, and collecting them is a fascinating hobby that can enrich your life through beauty, culture and education. Learn why you should start collecting Asian Art today.

RtistiQ

26 Aug 2021

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Nature has long been a muse for great artists RtistiQ Blog | 5 Famous Nature-Inspired Art Pieces || "Blog" Let’s look at some of the best artists to ever try and capture the beauty and majesty of the natural world. That’s why we decided to put together a list of 10 famous nature artists who celebrate nature in their paintings. Some of the names on the list you’ve heard of, but there are probably a few that will be new to you. Plus, we made sure to put in a little something for everyone. 1.Vincent van Gogh There is maybe no painter more famous than Vincent van Gogh. And while he pioneered on many fronts, his landscapes are some of his most transcendent works. Through his experimental brush strokes, he made the land appear as it really is — alive. In his life, van Gogh created an enormous wealth of paintings. There were years when he completed almost one a day. The sheer volume of landscape masterpieces in his oeuvre sets him apart. 2. Claude Monet Above all, Claude Monet was fascinated by light. And his daring Impressionist style captured the light obsessively over his career. His landscapes do this particularly well. He would sometimes set out multiple canvases and paint a scene through different times of day, showing the interaction between the sun and the land. Consider his Haystacks series, where the artist captured the same scene 25 times. These haystacks were painted at every time of day, in every season, and under all kinds of weather. 3. Hokusai Hokusai’s prints are among the most treasured artworks in the world. He produced a great deal in his life, beginning with urban images that were popular at the time. These ukiyo-e woodblock prints often portrayed celebrities and scenes from so-called pleasure districts. But then, the artist began incorporating more and more of the natural world. Today, his greatest pieces (like the famous The Great Wave off Kanagawa from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji) remain some of the most reverent works of art dedicated to the environment. 4. Georgia O’Keeffe Copyright Georgia O’Keeffe Georgia O’Keeffe merged a modern aesthetic with the desire to capture the essence of nature. The results are among the greatest works of the 20th century. Her technique highlighted the way that mountains and flowers mimic the human body. She also made bold use of color. While she took cues from nature, her palette explores many new surprising hues. The overall effect is timeless. Combined with her tender handling of the subject matter, O’Keeffe solidified herself as a master of painting. 5. Ansel Adams Copyright Ansel Adams Armed with only a camera and a tripod, Ansel Adams made photography history by taking shots of America’s great national parks. His famous love affair with Yosemite is now the stuff of legend. Work like Monolith, the Face of Half-Dome helped photography find itself as an art, whereas before it was considered a strictly documentarian form. Adams could express the full scope of a natural scene, with all its grandeur and private, intimate details. And for this reason, he is known as the father of landscape photography. 6. Olafur Eliasson Olafur Eliasson is not just an artist who paint nature, he uses natural materials to create it, too. For instance, his New York City Waterfalls installations created human built waterfalls. These structures brought towering 100 foot features into the skyline. In other pieces, Eliasson directly advocates for the environment. In his Ice Watch series In other pieces,Eliasson directly advocates for the environment. In his Ice Watch series Art That Raises Awareness for Environmental Issues the artist installed massive blocks of ice in Copenhagen, Paris, and London. As time went on, the ice melted, bringingthe reality of our melting glaciers into the heart of global cities that are leading contributors to climate change. 7. Walter de Maria Courtesy artappreciation101.wordpress.com Walter de Maria helped solidify land art as a form that could be viable in the 20th and 21st centuries. Over his life, he created many haunting works. In The Lightning Field, de Maria set up an enormous grid of 400 steel poles. While these poles very rarely attracted lightning, they did transform the wide open New Mexico landscape into a haunting scene. De Maria frequently used the land as his canvas. And as he did so, he brought our attention to the land, which is to say our home. These works have only increased in poignancy as the environmental crisis deepens. 8. David Hockney Copyright David Hockney It might seem surprising to have a famous British pop artist on our list, but David Hockney’s plein air landscapes are some of the best works in his career. Many of these were created later in life, like Bigger Trees Near Warter which was completed in 2007. That painting also stands as Hockney’s largest at a whopping 460 cm x 1220 cm. The landscape is an interesting late in life turn for the artist, but one that shows the indelible influence it has on us, even as our culture is consumed by the digital. 9. Peter Doig Copyright Peter Doig Peter Doig is among the most celebrated living artists of our time. He is renowned for foregoing the overly conceptual approach of his contemporaries and instead emphasizing creativity and conveying a sense of awe in the natural world. Many of his works are landscapes that often play off of photography. And he has also put his hand to creating cityscapes that amplify the strangeness of built environments. 10. Shara Hughes Copyright Shara Hughes Shara Hughes paints many kinds of scenes, but perhaps her most bombastic pieces are her landscapes. These works are excessive, lively, and maximalist. Her mastery over multiple techniques allow her somewhat abstracted approach to retain a high level of complexity. One can’t help but feel a certain joy when looking at a nature painting by Hughes. Her ability to reconnect us with that feeling of nature’s bounty continues to impress us. Inspired by nature paintings by famous artists? Check out RtistiQ’s nature art paintings from globally renowned artists. Browse through a variety of artworks that has been handpicked for your office and home walls!

RtistiQ

26 Aug 2021

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