At Ashvita's Flagship, looking at Indian Modern art becomes an exercise in slowing down

The room at Ashvita’s Flagship is arranged for looking and lingering. On the deep burgundy wall, works by MF Husain, FN Souza, Jyoti Bhatt, Mukul Dey and Jogen Chowdhury hang together. An entire wall is dedicated to artist Thota Vaikuntam, bringing together several of his early works, including pencil sketches and vibrant figures depicting the people of Telangana. Across the room, wooden shelves display books on Indian artists and modern art, while larger volumes lie open on long tables. A small group of sculptures occupies one corner. Chairs and a record player complete the room, giving visitors space to sit, read and spend time with the works.

Ashvita's Flagship brings Indian Modern art and a curated library together in Chennai

This is the setting for Modern: A Way of Looking, Ashvita Flagship’s exhibition devoted to Indian Modern art. Its central idea is to encourage visitors to slow down, spend time with the artworks and deepen their engagement through reading and discovery.

“The purpose of the exhibition is very simple. We wanted to show Indian Modern art in Madras, because the city does not get to see much of this,” says Ashwin E Rajagopalan, director of Ashvita’s. The selection includes works by the likes of MF Husain, FN Souza, Gogi Saroj Pal, Thota Vaikuntam and more. Ashwin says they were chosen as accessible entry points for prospective collectors. “They are good examples, good-quality works, complete in their own medium and size. They give you the texture, the look and feel of what Indian Modern art is,” he adds.

The library, curated as part of the exhibition by Priyanjoli Basu, CEO of Ashvita’s, gives that introduction a wider context.  There are books on Jyoti Bhatt, Gogi Saroj Pal, Ramkinkar Baij, Shanti Dave, and more. “The idea was to create a learning room. Art often exists in a white cube, where there is no context beyond what the space holds. Here, we wanted people to wind down and read,” Ashwin says. The shelves include books on artists in the exhibition and publications on a wider range of Indian art practices, many of which can be difficult to find in Chennai.

Priyanjali hopes the format will encourage younger audiences to spend time with art. “I think art galleries can become very clinical. You go, look at the art and leave. I wanted people to engage with it and spend some more time,” she says. Visitors can scan QR codes for information through the Icon app. Selected books, posters, T-shirts and games are also available, with special prices for students. The accompanying programme includes talks and film screenings on artists featured in the exhibition, including Krishen Khanna and Thota Vaikuntam.

Entry free. On till December 19. Tuesday to Saturday, 4 pm to 7 pm. At Ashvita’s Flagship, Mylapore.

Email: anoushkakundu@newindianexpress.com

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