Arshiya Lokhandwala

This survey class of Modern and Contemporary Indian art from the 20th century to date examines the rich and complex art practices which emerged from pre-independent India to its transition as an independent nation in 1947. We will discuss the works of the most significant Indian artists and unpack the concepts of tradition/ modern, nationalism/internationalism and, globalization, to investigate the same through the writings of eminent postcolonial scholars such as Geeta Kapur, Homi Bhabha, Partha Mitter, Gayatri Spivak, and Saloni Mathur to name a few. The course gives a critical insight into India as a nation, the challenges it faces including the socio-political climate that is reflected in the artist's work and practices that make Indian art distinct. The class examines Indian art from the early 20th century including the works of Raja Ravi Varma and Amrita Sher-Gil to the currently contemporary emerging avant-garde art practices today. This includes the work of the Progressive Artist Group; such as Maqbool Fida Husain, Syed Haider Raza, and Francis Newton Souza amongst others, to other prominent artists such as K. G. Subramanyan and Bhupen Khakhar. We will examine the first wave of the feminist artist's as Nalini Malani, Nilima Sheikh, Arpita Singh, and Madhvi Parikh, moving to the more contemporary art practices such as Subodh Gupta, Anita Dube, Bharti Kher, Jitish Kallat, Nikhil Chopra, Mithu Sen, and Shilpa Gupta to name a few. The course work will include weekly readings a mid- term paper and a final paper. Class participation and discussion is encouraged.

This course examines images of women and the work of women artists in India, engaging with broader topics in feminist and postcolonial theory. We will investigate indigenous responses to colonial and to contemporary critiques of the female form in Indian art, discuss the agency of women artists in the twentieth century, and examine how women artists interpreted the female form. This is an advanced undergraduate course that emphasizes research and writing. Artists discussed in this class include Amrita Sher-Gil, Nilima Sheik, Shazia Sikander, Mithu Sen and Pushpamala Students will submit two 3-5page papers and one final studio project. Students will also lead discussion on one of the readings assigned in class.

The Postcolonial Paradigm: Biennales and Large-Scale Exhibitions in a Global Age examines the history of the art world as one that is multilayered, overlapped in order to contradict the grand narrative of Western modernity. It closely engages postcolonial theory while examining how the non-Western “other” has come to be viewed through the examination of two significant exhibitions: Magiciens de la Terre, 1989, and Documenta 11, 2002 in Kassel Germany curated by Jean Martin, and Okwui Enwezor. While unpacking these two important exhibitions, to understand the emergence of postcolonial discourse in the context of contemporary art practices we engage with postcolonial theory including the work of Homi Bhabha, Gayatri Spivak, Edward Said and Dipesh Chakravarty amongst others. We will also investigate the emergence of the large-scale exhibitions and biennales particularly within the third world context, to engage outside the singular modern domain of the West, allowing for a new understanding to view the world and humanity through the realm of contemporary art. We will examine the history of exhibtiions and biennales closely looking at the work of artist's from the Third world. We will also closely unpack the curation of these two mega space shifter exhibtions Magiciens de la Terre, 1989, and Documenta 11, 2002 in Kassel Germany curated by Jean Martin, and Okwui Enwezor, to understand the contributions that exhibtiions can bring about in changing the discourse of art. As we engage with postcolonial theory we unravel the euro-centric trope within art and curation and devlop a criticality voice in viewing art and exhibitions alike. Two essays - midterm and finals essay are expected including active discussion in class.