India: Public Places, Private Spaces
Contemporary Photography and Video Art
On view now through January 6, 2008
The Newark Museum
49 Washington Street
Newark, NJ 07102-3176
www.NewarkMuseum.org
A major exhibition of India’s contemporary photography and video art, the first of its kind in North America, India: Public Places, Private Spaces — Contemporary Photography and Video Art includes more than 100 works that vividly reflect the interior and exterior realities of contemporary India, as captured by 28 photographers and video artists. Among the featured artists are internationally-renowned photographers Raghu Rai and the late Raghubir Singh, as well as emerging talents Tejal Shah and Shilpa Gupta. The exhibition,which was designed to heighten awareness and appreciation for the artists and art beingcreated in India today, focuses on works produced since 1984; they will be on view through January 6, 2008.
Each artist has used his or her medium to provide rich insight into the dynamics shaping the contemporary Indian psyche. This revealing exhibition explores the artistic vitality that arises from extreme economic and political shifts, the pervasive influence of the media, and the cultural traditions competing with globalization. Some of the artists have bent the strong tradition of photojournalism to explore more subjective modes of photography that still include socially and politically engaged street photography. Some treat photography and video as overtly interpretive media that extend into social analysis. Others construct elaborate fictions with self-portraiture and performance to create deeply personal, often enigmatic narrative histories.
The exhibition is the culmination of several years of research and coordination by cocurators Gayatri Sinha, an independent curator and art critic in India, and Paul Sternberger, Associate Professor Art History at Rutgers — The State University, Newark, New Jersey. The curators also contributed to the exhibition catalog, as did award-winning author Suketu Mehta and Barbara London, Associate Curator, Department of Film and Media, Museum of Modern Art, New York. Zette Emmons, The Newark Museum’s Manager of Traveling Exhibitions, serves as the project director. This exhibition was made possible through the generous support of The Provident Bank and The Provident Bank Foundation.
The 15-week run of India: Public Places, Private Spaces will be enhanced by a series of public programs including an evening with writers, filmmakers and artists; gallery tours and talks with special emphasis on the Museum’s large and distinguished collection of Indian art covering two millennia, with particular strengths in stone images and textiles; and a workshop introducing adults to artistic photographic and video techniques. Among the many public programs offered by The Newark Museum will be a two-day symposium Saturday, October 27, 10:30-4:00 pm and Sunday, October 28, 2:00-5:00 pm INDIA: Changing the Way We See. Included will be performances, screenings and readings by a select group of internationally renowned artists, scholars and writers explore the impact of a rapidly changing India on the global art scene. This program is being co-sponsored by Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark; South Asian Studies Program, Rutgers University, New Brunswick; William Paterson University; SAJA South Asian Journalist Association and the Indo American Arts Council. Members and students with current ID. Free. Registration required;
call 973-596-6613.
Indian arts and culture will be the central theme of The Newark Museum’s Thanksgiving Family Festival on Friday, November 23. The Festival, a museum-wide celebration, will feature live musical entertainment, dance performances, craft workshops, guided galler tours, guest lecturers and cooking demonstrations. Art Workshops will be offered Saturday, November 17, 10:00 am- 4:00 pm with guest artist, Anuu Palakunnathu Matthew, whose work is featured in the exhibition, India: Public Places, Private Spaces. Registration required; call 973-596-6607.
Individual Gallery Tours and reserved tours for groups are available during this exhibition Wednesdays-Sundays through January 6, 2008. For information: call : 973-596-6613 or visit www.NewarkMuseum.org
