Memorial lecture: Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy’s influence on Indian art’s modern period lauded by experts

New Delhi, August 23

The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) hosted the third Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy Memorial Lecture on Thursday, featuring an insightful discussion on the intersection of modern Indian painting and traditional art forms. The event, organised by the IGNCA’s Conservation and Cultural Archives Division, was highlighted by a lecture titled “Coomaraswamy’s: The Modern School of Indian Painting” from the essay collection Art & Swadeshi. The lecture, delivered by Sanjoy Kumar Mallik, Principal of Kala-Bhavana at Visva-Bharati Santiniketan, delved into the visual articulation in Santiniketan murals and their connection to Coomaraswamy’s writings.

Mallik explored the profound influence of Ananda Coomaraswamy on Indian art’s early modern period, stating, “His engagement with Indian art was not just about aesthetics, it was a conscious effort to bridge tradition and modernity. His writings offer deep insight into the philosophical underpinnings of Indian art, which continue to resonate in contemporary artistic practices.”

He also discussed the work of Nandalal Bose, particularly his study of Ajanta murals, emphasising how Bose sought to link modern Indian art with its ancient roots.

The event also saw the release of the monograph from the Second Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy Memorial Lecture, authored by Prof Parul Dave Mukherji, titled ‘Towards Decolonising Indian Art History via Problems of Mimesis in the Citrasutra of the Visnudharmottara Purana’, Prof Mukherji, from Jawaharlal Nehru University’s School of Arts & Aesthetics, was among the prominent guests, alongside Prof Achal Pandya, Head of the Conservation and Archives Division; Prof K Anil Kumar, Head of the Janapada Sampada Division; and Kumar Sanjay Jha, Archivist at IGNCA.

In his introductory remarks, Jha highlighted Coomaraswamy’s seminal lecture, “Art and Swadeshi,” delivered at the Madras Industrial Exhibition in 1910. He emphasised,“Coomaraswamy’s insights on the role of art in shaping national identity are as relevant today as these were over a century ago.”

Coomaraswamy, a pioneering figure in Indian art history, was instrumental in reviving interest in Indian art, particularly sculpture, painting, and crafts. His writings highlighted the religious and philosophical foundations of Indian art, providing a deep analysis of traditional craft techniques.