The Sri Aurobindo Centre for Advanced Research is organising a two-day ‘Living Within’ study camp on ‘Spirituality in Indian Art’ on September 19 and 20.
Indian perspective
According to organisers, the camp will be an exploration of some of the fundamentals of the Indian perspectives on art and art appreciation, with emphasis on the approach of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother apart from other notable thinkers.
While Sri Aurobindo was of the opinion that Indian art was “identical in its spiritual aim and principle with the rest of Indian culture”, The Mother offered the view that supreme art “expresses the beauty which puts you in contact with the Divine Harmony”.
The sessions, led by educators Beloo Mehra and Ananda Reddy, would include themes such as the purpose of art, the way of an Indian artist, artistic appreciation, sacred roots of Indian art and art in contemporary India. The camp will involve speaker-led presentations, discussion, film screenings and group activity to help participants assimilate the exploration.
New Race Archives
From the Editor's Desk... A Reflection on Contemporary Art... “Art should never degrade itself to the low level of the general public’s use or understanding. It is they who ought to be raised to the level of necessary health and plenitude where art is meant for the wise and the strong.” … “The future of India will look at the world with the vision of Truth and create anew” said Nandalal Bose, one of the great exponents of Bengal school of Art. Do we actually see his prophetic vision coming true? Have we raised ourselves to the level of Art or have we brought the Art to such a level where everyone calls him/herself an artist without knowing what is expected of him/her. Unlike the Greeks who assigned Art the function of schooling the adults, Indian Art always emphasized on that which would take artist as well as the aesthete a little deeper than the appearance. It is indeed sad to see the nature of Art that is emerging these days. Anything in the name of abstract Art, anything that does not make sense makes beautiful Art! Perhaps it reflects the inner chaos of the Artist; the inner poverty to see beauty in colour and form. Form may not be required or necessary, but Art, even if abstract, could have a harmonious play of colours. Truly, it is said that Art reflects life. In this age when our lives are almost directionless and our mental, emotional and physical beings most disorganized, the Art thus created could not be expected to be harmonious. However, this chaos does not lead us to conclude that Art would always remain so disharmonious and dark. Perhaps in its evolutionary curve it would degrade further before it takes a deeper spiritual turn. For even now it is portraying the truth of our present consciousness and when humanity turns more and more spiritual, its expression in Art, Literarture and all other forms would reflect his/her inner true self. It is a cyclic movement now in which there is an acute downgrading of everything, later, along with the rise of consciousness in general humanity Art would also rise. A few evidences of this evolutionary cycle may be seen in the contemporary paintings of Sri Krishna which have transcended the affectation and ornamentation but have captured the soothing and meditating poise of the Lord. Such paintings contain simple lives and curves with minimal use of colours but they convey the inner quietude. They are more suggestive than imposing. Art in future is expected to be more and more subjective and suggestive. It may have to go through the outer paraphernalia of presenting the commercial attitude of the society even towards Art. Yet there is a hope, the lines of which are quite clear that the greater dawn of Art is just across the horizon. It remains with each artist how soon he reaches that zenith and expresses it. Shruti
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