Rare Works Of Five Indian Modern Masters Showcased

MUMBAI, (IANS) – Five celebrated artists Amrita Sher-Gil, Akbar Padamsee, Ganesh Pyne, Prabhakar Barwe, Jagdish Swaminathan, are being showcased by Progressive Art Gallery, the exhibit showcases the works of five iconic artists of India whose works reflected an Indian form of modernism.

Included in the exhibition is a 1939 portrait of Sher-Gil’s husband Victor Egan, which may be her only portrait of him. Rendering an informal and sympathetic study of Victor Egan, it is a rare work, returning to Western techniques in realism, as would be natural in such a portrait. As she died in 1941, this may have been Sher-Gil’s last portrait.

Jagdish Swaminathan’s vibrant depictions of nature and indigenous art allow us to transcend the confines of the modern world. Four of his paintings in the series on ‘Bird, Mountain, Tree and Reflection’ are there — bearing witness to the phase in his artistic career when he introduces mountains or rocks in different hues of blues, beige and green, punctuated by the presence of a bird or a flower.

Prabhakar Barwe, an Indian modern artist born in 1936, is celebrated for his distinctive style and deep introspection. His work showcases his mixed media works, which are minimal abstractions. His art is a testament to the power of minimalism and the subtle, often overlooked nuances of existence.

Akbar Padamsee, another master abstractionist has metascapes, among other charcoal works, which are grandiose and sweeping in their vision. They transcend the conventional representation of specific sites and geographical locations.

Ganesh Pyne’s ethereal compositions, such as those depicting the Mahabharata character Abhimanyu, and figures such as a money lender, and a Baul singer. ‘Abhimanyu’, painted in the year 2000 in tempera, ranks among the finest compositions by Pyne in his mature style. His work transports us to a realm where the subconscious meets the tangible, encouraging us to reflect on the mysteries of existence.