The influences resulting in the changing face of Indian Art is best summed up by the veteran artist, Ms. Anjolie Ela Menon in her opening statement at the Speakers’ Forum. In a succinct manner she brings to note various points that have led to the changing nature of Indian Art and its reasons for turning from Modern to Contemporary.
In the world of Contemporary Indian Art, she says, almost every aspiring artist looks forward to a platform where s/he can showcase their talent. It has been observed by several leading art critics, that the strength of Indian art lies in the fact that it has always been deeply rooted in traditions and customs, and even in post colonialism blues. However, in the last three decades the Indian artistic community has opened itself to the liberal thought processes, and now especially in the Asian subcontinent (Indian, Chinese and Korean artists) there is a strong significance of multi-ethnic exuberance, resulting in an iconoclastic destruction of boundaries and definitions. The employment of new materials with the possibility of exploiting technology has given artists a vast new canvas. Globalization has further allowed access to similar experiences to everyone.
Moreover, due to liberalization, one now has access to numerous galleries, critics, theorists and curators, which has resulted in appreciation of art. With such stiff competition, there is a need for galleries to have a role other than a purely commercial one. As a result, artworks are exhibited well, and shows better curated, with generous documentation and a measure of fiscal courage on the part of gallery owners that enables them to take risks inherent in promoting new talent.
While there is an increasing commercialization of art, we also see unconventional means and ends being readily accepted in this burgeoning art market. As a result, the traditional definitions of art have now dissolved, expanding the field to be all inclusive and open to subjective interpretations.
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