INDIAN MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART

Teaching is one of the core activities of the degree programme in Languages and Civilisations of Asia and the Mediterranean Africa, particularly relevant for students specialising in South Asia, the Far East, and Southeast Asia. However, as it focuses on the modern and contemporary historical-artistic scene of the Himalayan region, the course proves equally significant for students pursuing studies in history, art history, conservation, cultural anthropology, and ethnology. The teaching aims to familiarise students with the artistic production of the region between the 19th and 21st centuries, the work of key figures in the artistic scene through an analysis of their creations, and the perception of their work by critics and the broader public.
This focus seeks, on the one hand, to build and consolidate the knowledge of those attending the course on modern and contemporary South Asia by encouraging comparisons and connections between regional productions and the broader global context. On the other hand, it aims to illustrate how the study of visual culture can serve as a critical tool in analysing modern and contemporary South Asian and Himalayan historical, political, religious, and social phenomena.

The course will provide the necessary critical tools to understand aspects and issues related to the modern and contemporary artistic productions of the Himalayan region (Ladakh, Nepal, Mustang, Tibet), starting with the analysis of specific areas as case studies.
Students will be able to interpret and describe artistic trends and dynamics from the second half of the 19th century to the early 21st century, along with the underlying ideas and concepts, and to analyse and contextualise artworks within their historical and cultural frameworks. Additionally, students will explore the role of museum collections of modern and contemporary art in promoting artists and movements and will critically reflect on the political, social, and religious implications of the development of movements and trends, as well as the exhibition choices made by public museums and private galleries.
The importance of visual production will be examined and employed as an indispensable tool for studying societies and historical periods. The course will deepen the topics and themes addressed by relating them to knowledge acquired in previous academic pursuits and other educational activities, while also critically engaging with theories proposed by art historians and scholars.

The course does not require specific competences, the necessary background for the comprehension of the proposed analysis will be provided. Nevertheless, a good knowledge of the English language in order to access autonomously to the bibliography is necessary.

The course will focus on the modern and contemporary artistic production of the Himalayan regions of the Indian subcontinent, particularly Ladakh, Nepal, Mustang, and Tibet. It will examine the meanings and perception of art within Himalayan cultural contexts, beginning with traditional painting and sculpture. The techniques and materials, symbolic and religious language of sacred Buddhist and Hindu art will be explored, along with the contributions of some of the principal traditional Himalayan artists.
Subsequently, the course will analyse the emergence and development of contemporary secular art, detached from traditional and religious frameworks. The work of internationally recognised artists will be examined in depth, including the socio-cultural aspects of their success and the dissemination of their works in international galleries and museums.
Among the themes to be addressed during the course are the decline of “Oriental art,” the rise of female voices, issues related to the musealisation of modern and contemporary Himalayan art, the conservation and restoration of artworks, and challenges surrounding ethical practices in exhibition and conservation. The course will also delve into the phenomenon of “forgeries,” investigating the concepts of “authenticity,” “originality,” and “replication.”

Essential readings:
1. One Book of Your Choice from the Following Selection:
- Furger, Alex R., The gilded Buddha, Basel Frankfurt 2017 (excerpts);
- Jackson, David and J. Jackson, Tibetan Thangka Painting. Methods & Materials, Boston 1984;
- Weingeist Rachel, Rebecca Bloom (eds.), Tradition Transformed Tibetan Artists Respond, Rubin Museum of Art, New York, 2010 [Selecting this book requires reading two extra articles from the lists below, along with the mandatory ones].

2. Mandatory Articles. All Four Must Be Read:
- Bagdel, Dina. “Packaging the Naked Buddhas. Authenticity, Innovation, and Cultural Imaginings in the Tourist Art of Nepal”. Ateliers d'anthropologie. 43,2016.
- Bellini, Chiara. “Tradition or Innovation? ‘Orientation’ in Tibetan Traditional and Modern Art” in R. Freschi (ed.) Past and Present of Tibetan Painting, 2010, Milano.
- Bentor, Yael. “Tibetan Tourist Thangkas in the Kathmandu Valley”, Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. 20, 1993
- Tythacott, Louise and Chiara Bellini. “Deity and Display: Meanings, Transformations, and
Exhibitions of Tibetan Buddhist Objects”. Religions 2020,11,106.

3. One Article of Your Choice from the Following Selection:
- Clark, Imogen. “Exhibiting the Exotic, Simulating the Sacred: Tibetan Shrines at British and American Museums”, Ateliers d’anthropologie, 43/2016.
- Jackson, David and J. Jackson. “A Survey of Tibetan Pigments”, Kailash, Vol. 4, No. 3, 1976.
- Reedy, Chandra L., “The Opening of Consecrated Tibetan Bronzes with Interior Contents: Scholarly, Conservation, and Ethical Considerations”, JAIC, Vol. 30, No. 1, Spring 1991.
- Reedy, Chandra L., “Religious and Ethical Issues in the Study and Conservation of Tibetan Sculpture”, JAIC, Vol. 31, No. 1, Albuquerque, June 3-8, 1991, Spring 1992.
- Slusser, Mary Shepherd, Nutan Sharma and James A. Giambrone. “Metamorphosis: Sheet Metal to Sacred Image in Nepal”, Artibus Asiae, 1999, Vol. 58, No. 3/4, 1999.

4. One Additional Article of Your Choice from the Following Selection:
- Bangdel, Dina. “Contemporary Nepali Art. Narratives of Modernity and Visuality”, in D. Shimkhada (ed. by). Nepal, Nostalgia and Modernity. Marg, 2011.
- Bellini, Chiara. “Tradition and Innovation. Western Influences in the artistic production of the Nepali Painter Mukti Singh Thapa”, in H. Fujita (a cura di), Art and Aesthetics in the Age of Globalization, Bologna, Osaka University: 2012.
- Burnett, Katharine P. “Tibetan Buddhist Art in a Globalized World of Illusion: The Contemporary Art of Ang Tsherin Sherpa”, Modern China Studies, Vol. 18, No. 2, 2011.
- Harris, Clare. “The Buddha Goes Global: Some Thoughts Towards a Transnational Art History”, Art History, Vol. 29, No. 4, 2006.
- Jackson, David. “Lama Yeshe Jamyang of Nyurla, Ladakh: the Last Painter of the ’Bri gung Tradition”, The Tibet Journal, Vol. 27, No. 1/2, S/S 2002.
- Lo Bue, Erberto. “Tshe ring dngos grub, a Ladaki Painter and Astrologer”, The Tibet Journal, Vol. XLII, No. 1, S/S 2017.
- Lo Bue, Erberto. “Lives and Works of Traditional Buddhist Artists in 20th Century Ladakh. A Preliminary Account”, in John Bray (ed.), Ladakhi Histories, Boston: Brill 2005.
- Lo Bue, Erberto. “Newar Sculptors and Tibetan Patrons in the 20th Century”, The Tibet Journal
Vol. 27, No. 3/4, A/W 2002.
- Magnatta, Sarah. “Disrupted Bodies and Regeneration”, Tales of Muted Spirits, Dispersed Threads, Twisted Shangri-La, 2023.

Additional Readings. Optional but Recommended for Further Exploration:
C. Bellini, Nel Paese delle Nevi. Storia culturale del Tibet dal VII al XXI secolo, Einaudi, Milano 2015.
A. Michaels, Nepal. A History from the Earliest Times to the Present, Oxford U.P., New York 2024.

Availability: Required articles and book excerpts can be accessed on Moodle.

Assessment will be based on the outcome of an oral examination covering the course content. The evaluation will consider not only the ability to articulate ideas clearly and the use of appropriate technical vocabulary but also the capacity to critically engage with the assigned readings and topics, as well as to connect the analyses discussed to prior knowledge or insights gained from other educational activities.

Frontal classes, complemented by lectures and conferences, students' presentations and the discussion of issues raised during the classes. The course will adopt a thematic approach. Through the analysis of movements, art objects and poetics, discussions and a critical approach will be ecouraged.

English

Students who are unable to attend the course regularly are requested to contact the lecturer via email or during office hours to discuss the exam syllabus.

oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Poverty and inequalities" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development