When India was tearing away from the clutches of British imperialism, a distinct language in art was developing. It spoke of struggle and strife; tumult and triumph.
A new mixed vocabulary laden with the weight of colonisation on the one hand, and transition to a free India on the other, was being articulated. Instrumental in this were artists such as Jamini Roy, MF Husain, J Swaminathan, FN Souza, Akbar Padamsee, Jogen Chowdhury. One can now view their many expressions through a virtual exhibition called Timeless Treasures as part of Singapore Art Week (SAW) in Singapore.
The artistic body of 40 works comprises multivalent narratives from different periods through the Independence to the 1970s, and then from the 1970s till date. “From Husain’s fluidity to Raza’s focus on geometry, to Jamini Roy’s vibrant use of colours, the display is a full range.