On October 23, 2015, “The Eye and the Heart: New Interventions in Contemporary Indian Art” opened at the Minsheng Art Museum in Beijing, it is jointly organized by the Minsheng Art Museum in Beijing and National Gallery of Modern Art New Delhi, India, curated by Rajeev Lochan, Director of the National Gallery of Modern Art New Delhi, India, by which Minsheng Art Museum starts the intervention of an international art exchange and cooperation with the local folk artists, following the opening exhibition “The Civil Power”.

In a new era of globalization, art has diversified into a multitude of media such as installation art, video art, performance art, conceptual art and the new buzz of media art, which evolved and developed over a period of time. Art across the world has undergone a myriad of changes that have eventually culminated into a form that we see and experience today. The form of art on the Indian subcontinent is a unique and interesting amalgam of innovative and thought-provoking ideas. The cultural diversity of this country adds to the multi-dimensional approach which is a direct contribution of various beliefs, languages and a prevalent cultural mix. The artists in India have chosen to break away from the mode of existing art practices and have given birth to new approaches and genres in art previously not experienced.

China and India have a long history of cultural exchanges. They have a splendid classical history, presenting different features and status in the process of modernization, while communication and knowing each other is more important in the era of globalization. As a part of “India Cultural Festival” held in China, “The Eye and the Heart: New Interventions in Contemporary Indian Art” is the presentation of the new tendency and trend of Indian contemporary art, which provides us with a great opportunity to observe and experience Indian contemporary culture. It features a total of 39 works, and the majority of the exhibited works are collected by the National Gallery of Modern Art New Delhi, India and artists themselves, covering painting, sculpture, installation, photography, print and new media, etc., the 24 participating artists such as Anju Dodiya, Arunkumar HG, Atul Bhalla, Baiju Parthan, Bharti Kher. The important artists appeared in the 1980s and 1990s, representing a “new generation” of Indian contemporary art. They pay close attention to reality and personal experiences, and integrate their experiences into their art practice, through a fresh vision and thoughts, using diversity, non-traditional media to creatively interpret their art.

Minsheng Art Museum in Beijing said that it had started the international art exchange following the opening exhibition “The Civil Power”. The art museum hopes to use the BRICs as the clues and angles in the research and exhibition, to cut into the stage of international contemporary art and it will cooperate more with international art institutions and individuals in the future, to offer the public a more abundant and diverse contemporary visual perception and experience.

The exhibition continues to December 21.

Text by Zhang Wenzhi, translated by Chen Peihua and edited by Sue/CAFA ART INFO

Duration: October 23 - December 21, 2015

Venue: Minsheng Art Museum in Beijing 1F

Organizers: Minsheng Art Museum in Beijing, National Gallery of Modern Art New Delhi, India

Address: Hengtong International Innovation Park - C7, No.9 Jiuxianqiao North Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing