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Kavita Nayar---Contemporary Indian Artist

ELEMENTS OF GROTESQUE IN INDIAN ART -- A brief observation

Indian art has treated a wide range of human emotions, sentiments and attitudes with expressionistic exaggeration as compared to any other art in the world. From the ancient tradition of sculpture we have many forms which are' grotesque ' in appearance. This word is commonly applied to any odd or fantastically absurd form which is bizarre, unrealistic and non-existent. I intend to take up the term 'grotesque' as the synonym for 'Veebhatsa' according to the theory of Indian aesthetics. In the age old Indian theory of 'Rasa'(aesthetic emotion of flavour, 'Veebhatsa' is having qualities for defining 'grotesque’. Among the nine stable sentiments and emotions (Rasa)' Shant' rasa is generally considered to be predominant in Indian Art aiming at' Moksha '.But the Indian artists show no dismay nor hesitation in producing images that are repellent and absurdly fantastic .The' Dasarupa' plainly asserts that 'beauty' is absolutely independent of the sympathetic .According to Dr. Coomarswamy "Beauty can be dreadful or disgusting, exalted or lowly, cruel or kindly, obscure or refined, actual or imaginary ."He further says that there is no subject that can not evoke rasa or 'Brahma Swadan' in man. The absolute which is neither created nor destroyed but can be invoked and mentally realized.

The urge for communication is instinctive in social man. He wants to communicate his desires, his feelings, his emotions, in short, his total being. The mode and manner of communication determines the form and meaningfulness of the content. Terms like 'Bhava' and 'Rasa' to the writers of the Indian 'Shilpa shastra ' relate to the meaningfulness and hence to the content of the works of art.

The Indian imagination is one which has wandered freely crossing the barriers of naturalism or reality whenever it willed and has often taken recourse towards the supernatural. Indeed our myths, which are the key to the Indian thought are an extension of the real into the 'unreal '.Our belief in the fusion of these two 'worlds’ is unique and profound .It is, thus that animals are given human characters without hesitation in stories and plays, plants are tended and loved as children; the groves and forests of our epics are peopled with an endless variety of strange beings, ’Nagas’,'yakshas ', 'Apsaras ', demons and ghosts. Our gods recast there beings into any natural forms.

Change, mutability and synthesis are inherent in the characters of the myths .Bizzare Combinations such as that of 'Ganesha' with his elephant head, four arms and human body, 'Narsimha' with his lion head and a human body, 'Chamunda' and 'Kali' in their terrifying aspects which along with other similar folk beliefs are absorbed effortlessly into the traditional stories, epics and visual arts.

In the West grotesque also has a history in visual arts. It has prevailed right from the Roman sculptures to Brueghel, Bosch and finally to Francis Bacon.

If the ancient grotesque forms are epic and folk originated, the modern absurd forms are comparatively personal and limited, but it need not however be universal. The modern myths are created only by individuals who project their private worlds through works of art and thus the introspective strain seems to continue.

In contemporary works many artists have attempted to create different kinds and degrees of ‘grotesque’forms. Their works have been conditioned by one of the nine 'Rasas'-the 'Veebhatsa'(Grotesque). Though there are many artists falling into this category, Jogen Chowdhry, Bhupen Khakhar, F.N.Souza and earlier works of A. Ramachandran in particular stand out in this aspect. I feel, while all of them have incorporated the element of 'Grotesque' in a major way, they have at the same time, a marked individuality. I have decided to take up these artists because inspite of their uniqueness, their Styles seem to be ultimately pre-occupied with the same quest -The creation of the 'Grotesque'.

Kindly Visit the site http://www.kavitanayar.com