Alchemy: Contemporary Indian Painting and Miniature Traditions

Contents: Foreword by Sonika Soni. 1. Introduction: Inspiration From Miniature Painting. 2. The Reinvention of the Miniature: Abanindranath Tagore. 3. Mythic Encounters: Manjit Bawa. 4. Horizons of Intimacy: Waswo X. Waswo and R. Vijay. 5. Resourcing the Narrative: Nilima Sheikh. Afterword. Bibliography.

A miniature painting holds wondrous powers, beyond its defined space. A single image can summon up a world of adventures, enclosed chambers, gardens, rivers, lakes, forests, flowers, and an infinite variety of trees in bloom. Miniatures were conceived as sets of narrative illustrations based on classic texts such as the Gita Govinda, the Ramayana, the Bhagavata Purana, the Ragamala and the Rasamanjari. The representation of the nayaka and the nayika—the hero and heroine—is perhaps the most popular theme, focusing on dramatic enactment and the impermanence of emotions. Miniatures continue to hold their appeal well into the 21st century. Contemporary artists of importance have imbibed influences from miniature traditions, in technique, theme and colouration. This book explores a relationship between Indian contemporary painting and inspiration from medieval miniatures.

In this volume, the author studies the art of five significant Indian modern and contemporary artists—Abanindranath Tagore, Manjit Bawa, Waswo X. Waswo with Rakesh Vijayvargiya, and Nilima Sheikh—who have resourced and reinvented iconic traditions with different perspectives and using different techniques. Accompanied with splendid illustrations, the essays bring attention to the Indian art of today with the magical transformation of older concepts and techniques in miniature painting into contemporary practice.