Upcoming New York auction focused on South Asia to feature Indian masters

Twelve paintings by leading Indian modern and contemporary masters would form part of an upcoming South Asian art auction by global auction house Christie's in New York, and were previewed in Delhi till Saturday. As the auctioneer completes its 25 years of presence in India, it showcased these artworks here at The Oberoi Hotel ahead of its South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art auction, and in coincidence with the ongoing India Art Fair.

The auction will take place on March 20. Highlights displayed here included works by Hemendranath Mazumdar, M.F. Husain, Manjit Bawa, Arpita Singh, Rameshwar Broota, Ram Kumar, Akbar Padamsee, S.H. Raza, Jogen Chowdhury and F.N. Souza.

On display was Arpita Singh's work called 'Ashvamedha' (2008), "based on the Mahabharata but also contemporary war situations, where the nude, ageing female body which is subject to violence, is in stark contrast with soldiers", Christie's Specialist, Head of Sale, Nishad Avari told IANS. A watercolour by Singh, "Girl in White" (1994), was also displayed, complementing the whole body of works by the artist that are shown in an ongoing Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) retrospective here.

Husain, whose easily-recognised horses find space in many of his works, and Souza, who has done some rare black-on-black paintings, also featured in the two-day preview exhibition. A work by Raza, dating back to 1974, "when Raza had moved from painting the physical landscape to the emotive landscape", will also participate in the upcoming sale of about 80 works.

(With inputs from agencies.)