Bombay Progressive Artists' Group
Encyclopedia
The Bombay Progressive Artists' Group was the most influential group of modern art
ists in India
from its formation in 1947, they combined Indian subject matter with Post-Impressionist colours, Cubist forms and brusque, Expressionistic styles.
The Progressive Artists' Group was formed by Francis Newton Souza
and S. H. Raza. M. F. Husain and Manishi Dey
were early members, others associated with the group included S. K. Bakre, Akbar Padamsee
and Tyeb Mehta
.
The group wished to break with the revivalist nationalism established by the Bengal school of art
and to encourage an Indian avant-garde, engaged at an international level. Their intention was to "paint with absolute freedom for content and technique, almost anarchic, save that we are governed by one or two sound elemental and eternal laws, of aesthetic order, plastic co-ordination and colour composition."
In 1950, Vasudeo S. Gaitonde
, Krishen Khanna and Mohan Samant
joined the Group, following the departure from India of the two main founders Souza and Raza. Bakre also left the group. The group disbanded in 1956.
European modernism was the most distinctive influence on the group, but its members worked in dramatically different styles, from the Expressionism of Souza to the pure abstraction of Gaitonde. Specific Indian imagery and landscapes were also adopted, particularly by Metha and Husain.
Modern art
Modern art includes artistic works produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the style and philosophy of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of...
ists in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
from its formation in 1947, they combined Indian subject matter with Post-Impressionist colours, Cubist forms and brusque, Expressionistic styles.
The Progressive Artists' Group was formed by Francis Newton Souza
Francis Newton Souza
Francis Newton Souza , commonly referred to as F. N. Souza, was an Indian artist. He was a founding member of the Progressive Artists' Group of Bombay, and was the first post-independence Indian artist to achieve high recognition in the West...
and S. H. Raza. M. F. Husain and Manishi Dey
Manishi Dey
Manishi Dey was an Indian painter of the Bengal school of art. He was born in Dhaka on 22. September 1909 and died 1966 in Kolkata. He was the younger brother of Mukul Dey, a pioneering Indian teacher and engraver....
were early members, others associated with the group included S. K. Bakre, Akbar Padamsee
Akbar Padamsee
Akbar Padamsee is a contemporary Indian artist.He received his diploma from the Sir J.J. School of Art, Mumbai, in 1951...
and Tyeb Mehta
Tyeb Mehta
Tayyabb Mehta was a noted Indian painter. He was part of the noted Bombay Progressive Artists' Group, which included greats like F.N. Souza, S.H. Raza and M.F...
.
The group wished to break with the revivalist nationalism established by the Bengal school of art
Bengal school of art
The Bengal School of Art was a style of art that flourished in India during the British Raj in the early 20th century. It was associated with Indian nationalism, but was also promoted and supported by British arts administrators.-History:...
and to encourage an Indian avant-garde, engaged at an international level. Their intention was to "paint with absolute freedom for content and technique, almost anarchic, save that we are governed by one or two sound elemental and eternal laws, of aesthetic order, plastic co-ordination and colour composition."
In 1950, Vasudeo S. Gaitonde
Vasudeo S. Gaitonde
Vasudeo S. Gaitonde was regarded as India's foremost abstract artist. He received Padma Shri Award in 1971.-Personal life and education:...
, Krishen Khanna and Mohan Samant
Mohan Samant
Mohan B. Samant was an Indian painter who spent most of his working life in New York. He trained at the Sir J. J. School of Art and was a member of the Bombay Progressive Artists' Group from 1950, moving permanently to America in the 1960s.Samant was once named as being among the "hundred leading...
joined the Group, following the departure from India of the two main founders Souza and Raza. Bakre also left the group. The group disbanded in 1956.
European modernism was the most distinctive influence on the group, but its members worked in dramatically different styles, from the Expressionism of Souza to the pure abstraction of Gaitonde. Specific Indian imagery and landscapes were also adopted, particularly by Metha and Husain.
Sources
- Partha Mitter, Indian Art (Oxford History of Art), Oxford University Press (2001), ISBN 0192842218