From onset of Independence to present day: Sotheby's second sale paints story of Indian art

From V S Gaitonde's luminous space painting to an offering of works from the estate of Bhupen Khakhar, from F N Souza's reinterpretation of "The Last Supper" to Sudhir Patwardhan's socially engaging "Cyclist", Sotheby's second auction in India captures the journey of Indian art spanning more than half a century of artistic production in the country. Titled "Boundless India 2019", the sale on November 15 will feature over 60 lots across several categories including paintings, drawings, sculptures, and design.

Following the recent Delhi preview of the auction, London-based Yamini Mehta, Deputy Chairman, Indian and South Asian Art at Sotheby’s told PTI in an email interview that they hoped to tell the "story of art in India" from the early nineties to the present day. There are artworks created during the onset of Independence, there are works by boundary-breaking artists who emerged after the Raj, and there's also the best of contemporary art being created today.

"Artworks by India's most celebrated artists sit side-by-side with those who are yet to become household names but have long deserved the spotlight shining upon them. We want to show the fantastic diversity of what India has to offer," she said. Leading the sale is Gaitonde's 1974 work featuring suspended orbs, hovering like yellow suns and black moons that can be viewed within the universe and solar system at a time when India was on the brink of the Space Age.

"This radiant painting is a testament to the genius of Gaitonde's painting style. Here we see the beginnings of the emergence of Gaitonde's fascination with the circle which went on to preoccupy much of his later work; it forms a perfect prologue to a hugely-celebrated phase in his career," she said. Sotheby's sale comes at a time when the country is grappling with an economic slowdown, but Mehta said the Indian art world is in "a strong position going forward".

"There is much momentum behind the art world in India. In recent years, gallerists, entrepreneurs, curators and auction houses have together widened the conversation around art and have attracted international attention in the process," she said. She added that besides the long standing collectors, the Indian art market is also seeing a new generation keen to collect and engage with the art world.

"We are also seeing an increasing number of new faces enter our galleries and bidding in our sales. "Last year, 40 per cent of the buyers in our 'Modern & Contemporary South Asian Art' (London) sales were under 40, and in the 'Boundless: India', over 20 per cent of bidders were under 30," Mehta said.

Sotheby's upcoming sale will also feature a collection of works from Khakhar's estate that will be going under the hammer for the very first time. The star lot from this selection is "Tiger and Stag" which was last seen in the artist’s major retrospectives in Mumbai and London, and provides a visual commentary on the turbulent state of the world the artist was living in when it was painted in 1970.

It is estimated at Rs 3-5 crore. "The selection of oils, watercolours and ceramics showcases the breadth of his talents and provides a glimpse of the artworks he chose to keep with him throughout his life," Mehta said.

Another highlight of the sale is Souza's monumental reinterpretation of Leonardo Da Vinci’s "The Last Supper". The 1990 work comes to sale from Japan, where it has been in the collection of the Glenbarra Art Museum near Osaka for two decades.

The painting that encapsulates Souza's unique technique developed over 50 years, is estimated at Rs 3.5 — 5 crore. Another work returning back to India for the sale is contemporary painter Jehangir Sabavala’s ethereal ‘The Hooded Day’.

This comes from the collection of the artist’s Italian friend Cesare Rossi, who moved to India in 1953 and became instrumental in the development of Bisleri water in India as well as many other bottled drinks. It is estimated at Rs 1.5 - 2 crore.

There is also a special section of the sale dedicated to modernist sculpture, which Mehta said was aimed at shining the light on Indian sculptors like Sankho Chaudhuri, prodosh das Gupta, Sadanand K Bakre, Dhanraj Bhagat, Himmat Shah, and Amar Nath Sehgal. A 1959 bronze sculpture titled "Red Shoe" by Bakre, who achieved a new record at Sotheby's inaugural India auction last year is part of the upcoming sale.

Inherited directly from the artist in 2007, it is estimated at Rs 10 - 15 lakh. Sotheby’s inaugural sale in India in November last year achieved an overall total of Rs 55.40 crores, establishing a new auction record for Amrita Sher-Gil in India among others.

"Boundless: India 2019" will be held at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Colaba in Mumbai. It will be preceded by public viewing on November 14.

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