In her introduction to India 20, Anupa Mehta points out that the selection of artists for the book was based on her own interest in their work, as also the fact that all twenty, arguably, had broken exciting new ground over the past few years.  

“It may not be entirely incorrect to say that the rigour and vocabulary of many artists in this publication has contributed seminally in shaping international perceptions about Indian contemporary art and fuelling its upward movement”, writes Mehta. “Indeed, the works of almost all featured here have found place in prestigious international collections across the globe… India 20 aspires to provide an alternate view— the voice of the artist as heard and recorded.”

The book primarily (and understandably) presents no-holds-barred tête-à-têtes with the artists to provide succinct insight into their idiom, trajectory and concerns. Additionally, it offers specially commissioned studio portraits of the artists and a selection of their representative works. The overall format is quite impressive and helps the reader to appreciate the ideas, processes and anxieties of the artists.

Atul Dodiya, for instance, reveals his concerns with things like the state of the nation and the problems of the country, as also terrorism and destruction. He also reveals how he always wanted to meet Picasso and Jasper Johns, “but since that was not possible I started an imaginary dialogue with them through my work.” One also finds out Anju Dodiya’s excitement for collecting sports images as a bank of facial expressions. “I find that the emotions that we control in regular day-to-day life come to the fore during active sports and you see a fierce psychological drama happening.”

Self-confessedly, contradiction is a mainstay in Bharati Kher’s work. “I work to create a state of awkwardness … It’s like a gun to your head … I’m like a magpie. I steal from everyone, I steal from everywhere. I steal people’s ideas, nothing is original. It’s from everywhere. I steal from books, friends, magazines, photographs. I steal from England, I steal from India. I’ll steal from anywhere. Anywhere I go I take something that I want.” 

Human inquiries

For Shibu Natesan, a central part of painting practice involves the quest for a resonant image that refuses to be read directly and which obliges the viewer to make an interpretation. If Bangalore-based Alwar Balasubramaniam discloses that his work is about basic human inquiries, for Chittrovanu Mazumdar, it is a “daily struggle to make the art that I do”, a solitary struggle where “your territory is your aloneness”. Sculptor Ravinder Reddy admits that he has been experimenting for the past ten years to examine how to retain a similar monumentality in a small 10-inch head, as also a 10-foot head.

Baiju Parthan is burdened by existential questions: “It is like being shipwrecked and marooned in a world with no meaning”; he also admits that there is a sense of futility which haunts him. “I am very interested in urban realities: the rootlessness that accompanies urban existence has become an engaging theme for me.” The information for most of Sudarshan Shetty’s work also comes from his daily negotiations with the city that he lives in. “I am continuously made aware of the possibility of minor explosions around me.” Subodh Gupta also feels that his work emerges from the mundane, from his surroundings.

Jitish Kallat who, since 1995, has had 15 solo exhibitions and probably a hundred participations across the world, insists the pace was self-determined. “I’m happy to ride the tide”, he says before cautioning, “the art world has seen such a surge of activity but it is growing so fast it also sprouts malignancies along the way. These are times of celebration but also times of vigilance.”

While Iranna affirms that his work celebrates life in all its complexities, Mysore-based Harsha narrates how his work is about many things ranging from the political to the practical and the environmental. Bose Krishnamachari does not hide the fact that he has always been ambitious. “My struggle reflected that. Yes, it was a struggle to make things for nothing apart from the pleasure of making it.  I’m a capitalist so that I can be a communist.”

India 20 delights in its concept, design and presentation. Mehta’s selection of artists is near perfect. The photographs of artists are sensitive and choice of accompanying artworks appropriate. At times predictable and leading, Mehta’s questions are generally sharp and probing. While most of the artists’ responses are engaging and revealing, some of them do tend to get a bit verbose. Notwithstanding minor shortcomings, the book would definitely be an important addition to any library or personal collection. 

India 20 : Conversations with Contemporary Artists
2007 / 216 pages / 215 colour illustrations/
Mapin Publishing Private Ltd. in association with Alekhya Foundation, Vadodara