About
Following the remarkable and rapid economic, social and cultural developments in India in recent years, Indian Highway is a timely presentation of the pioneering work being made in the country today. The culmination of extensive research across India, this group exhibition is a snapshot of a vibrant generation of artists working across a range of media.
Indian Highway features a special project curated by Raqs Media Collective.
Indian Highway features artists who have already made an impact on the international art world alongside less well-established practitioners.
Some of the artworks in the exhibition have been selected for their connection to the theme of Indian Highway, reflecting the importance of the road in migration and movement and as the link between rural and urban communities. Other works make reference to technology and the âinformation superhighway', which has been central to India's economic boom. A common thread throughout is the way in which these artists demonstrate an active political and social engagement, examining complex issues in contemporary India that include environmentalism, religious sectarianism, globalisation, gender, sexuality and class.
To frame and contextualise the work by a younger generation of artists, new paintings will be created specially for the Serpentine Gallery by India's most acclaimed living artist, M. F. Husain. Depicting the history of India, the series will be presented on a structure around the exterior of the building, purpose-designed by architects Nikolaus Hirsch and Michael Müller.
Indian Highway is curated by Julia Peyton-Jones and Hans Ulrich Obrist, Directors, Serpentine Gallery, and Gunnar B. Kvaran, Director, Astrup Fearnley Museum, in association with Rebecca Morrill and assisted by Leila Hasham, in consultation with specialists from the region and beyond.
Indian Highway at the Serpentine Gallery is the inauguration of an exhibition that will continually grow and develop as it tours internationally to different institutions for the next four years. After London, it will be presented at Astrup Fearnley Museum, Oslo, from 4 April to 21 June 2009, where it will change and expand with the addition of new works as well as a section curated by Bose Krishnamachari.
Artists include:
Ayisha Abraham
Ravi Agarwal
Nikhil Chopra
Raqs Media Collective
Sheela Gowda
Sakshi Gupta
Shilpa Gupta
Subodh Gupta
N. S. Harsha
M. F. Husain
Jitish Kallat
Amar Kanwar
Bharti Kher
Bose Krishnamachari
Nalini Malani
Tejal Shah
Dayanita Singh
Kiran Subbaiah
Ashok Sukumaran & Shaina Anand
