Symposium provides key insights into new Indian art exhibition

SHIVANGI AMBANI-GANDHI gets a closer, behind-the-scenes feel at the Indian Empire exhibition.

Moti Masjid, Agra:Albumen photograph, Samuel Bourne (1834-1912), Portvale Collection.

The sold-out, one-day symposium associated with The Indian Empire: Multiple Realities show at the Art Gallery of New South Wales on 28 August, 2010 shed greater light on these ‘multiple realities’ represented through the varied objects displayed in this exhibition.

Jackie Menzies, head curator of Asian Art at the gallery kicked off the symposium with a virtual walk-through of the exhibition, highlighting key themes as well as pin-pointing interesting details in some works that viewers might miss. For instance, she pointed out, the images of the multi-armed Shiva and Ganesha had certain elements that showed the artists’ unfamiliarity with Indian iconography. Treating the images in ways the artist would probably treat Christian icons, the artist has depicted the Indian Gods as massive statues towering over devotees. The statues, meanwhile, are placed in a distinctly rococo setting with flowing curtains framing them.

Next up, was Jim Masselos, whose Portvale Collection forms the core of this exhibition. His talk highlighted the use of picturesque techniques used by European artists to depict Indian landscapes and ruins, in turns beautifying and exoticising the new land. Look at the images in the exhibition and you will notice these elements repeatedly: a heightened treatment of colour and light, small figures that provide scale for the landscape or architecture, trees in multiple shades providing variety and finally the angled perspective of architecture ad buildings.

Kama MacLean, who is a senior lecturer in South Asian World History at the University of New South Wales, focused her talk on the use of the tiger as a symbol of power – and eventually as a symbol of native India against the British Raj (which, in retaliation, took on the symbol of the lion).

Kajri Jain from the University of Toronto drew attention to popular prints, commonly known as ‘calendar art’, examples of which can be seen in the last section of The Indian Empire exhibition. She explored how European image-making techniques, particularly lithographic prints, were being used for anti-colonial purposes – visible in the images of nationalist images of ‘Mother India’ – as well as for distinctly Indian visual culture, that of Indian mythological characters. These mythological images particularly, she said, also helped democratise access to religion, hitherto controlled by the Brahmin caste (who controlled who could or could not enter temples or participate in rituals), by providing cheap, portable, mass-produced icons for personalised worship. With this in mind, it is easy to see that these images were much more than kitsch.

The Maharana Saheb:Unknown photographer,1870s, Portvale Collection

Carole Douglas, who for the past ten years has been working with textile communities and allied institutions in Kutch, Gujarat, shared her conversations with the printers, weavers and embroiderers of this region. This talk provided a very interesting face to the beautiful examples of wall hangings, cholis, shawls, and bags from the regions of Kutch and Saurashtra, which are on display as part of the exhibition. Douglas’ research reveals a community of textile workers committed to traditional techniques as well as environmental sustainability.

Kate Brittlebank, who was until recently senior lecturer in Asian History at the University of Tasmania, explored the interesting back story to the collection of an album of Kalighat paintings by a Christian missionary in India.

Finally, the day concluded with a light-hearted presentation by artist Pushpamala N, whose set of photographs concludes the exhibition. She revealed the many hilarious situations that she and collaborator Clare Arni got into, while recreating the various studio shots in her house.

This symposium, supported by VisAsia and the Australia India Institute, offered new, valuable insights that enable viewers to read deeper into the objects on display as part of the Indian Empire exhibition.

The Indian Empire: Multiple Realities exhibition runs until November 7, 2010 at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. There are other, free exhibition events as part of the Art After Hours program starting 5.30 pm on September 1, 8 and 15, 2010. Exhibition entry is free. For more information, please visit www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au.