South Asian Art
Delhi Contemporary Art Week 2023: Here’s what to look out for at the 6th edition of DCAW
A captivating landscape of contemporary art is taking over Delhi this month, and the annual Delhi Contemporary Art Week is leading the charge. Every year, Delhi-based art galleries come together at DCAW to resurrect the discourse on unbridled artistic talent in South Asian countries. In 2023, 6 prominent galleries shining a light on contemporary art practices—Vadehra Art Gallery, Blueprint12, Exhibit 320, Gallery Espace, Latitude 28 and Shrine Empire—introduce fresh, emerging voices across South Asia in a kaleidoscope of mediums, styles and themes, igniting a city-wide (and nation-wide) fervour centred around contemporary art.
In addition to exhibitions by these six partner galleries, a group show curated by Girish Shahane aptly entitled ‘Conjunction of the Spheres’ locates itself at the intersection of ancient Mesopotamian cultures, spirituality and a discourse on the role of divinities and Babylonian cosmography. “The choice of the theme was made because it is capacious enough to accommodate a wide variety of practices, as demanded of a show that is a collaboration between six galleries with disparate programmes, while also being cohesive enough to bring varied artistic styles together into a unified visual experience,” says Girish Shahane.
John Gilmore Ford, an interior designer and South Asian art collector, died of heart failure on Dec. 21 at his North Baltimore home. He was 95.
“John had a brilliant eye. He found magnificent pieces in the 1960s,” said Gary Vikan, former Walters Art Museum director. “He also had the courage as a collector to go into unfamiliar areas, specifically, the arts of the Himalayas. “
Mr. Ford donated his works to the Walters in 2001, and it is the most important art gift given to the museum after its original collection amassed by William and Henry Walters, Mr. Vikan said.
It may be widely used now but the term “Asian American” is only a few decades old, being coined in 1968 by UC Berkeley activists Emma Gee and Yuji Ichioka, as they sought an umbrella identity for their student organization, eventually hitting on the Asian American Political Alliance. The term caught on in part because it replaced the term “oriental”, widely considered to be racist and associated with aggressive campaigns of colonialism, and partly because it allowed the wider community of immigrants from Asia to band together to wield greater political influence.
The term remains popular but it has faced its share of criticism, among other things for obscuring the realities of those from less economically powerful and geographically centered Asian nations. An intriguing new art exhibition currently on show at New York University’s 80WSE Gallery seeks to interrogate and deconstruct the term while bringing forth an extremely wide variety of art created from within the community.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2024/nov/07/legacies-new-exhibition-asian-american-art
Northwest London’s neighbourhood and entertainment district kicked off the celebrations at London Designer Outlet on Friday 1st November, with enlivening Bhangra beats and free body decorations by local henna artists. A high-energy performance by BollyRed Dance Company and musicians playing the double-headed dhol drum then set the tone for the weekend’s dynamic lineup of performances, interactive workshops, and cultural showcases.
On Saturday 2nd November, the ‘Diwali Utsav: A Celebration of South Asian Arts’ festival took place at the Sound Shell stage on Olympic Way, with artists from across South Asian communities worldwide taking to the stage.
Read More:https://www.londondaily.news/three-day-diwali-spectacular-hailed-as-huge-success-in-wembley-park/
