In this issue

The earliest symbol for division is the rigid line with two dots on either side, never moving, never meeting, never crossing over. It is seared in our brains that the idea of division is sacrosanct – you pick a side and you stay there. Thankfully, the arts give us a fluid construct from which to view ‘division’, our theme for this issue. We look at artist(e)s who structurally or ideologically engage with this great divide – sometimes by intention, sometimes by circumstance, and sometimes by coincidence – giving us new ideas, perspectives and the possibility to change the stories we have heard and symbols we have grown up with. And, most importantly, to re-negotiate this intensely polarised world with its seeming allure of connectedness.

The Middle Ground

An applied artist by education, a print-maker at heart, Amit Kumar Jain always wanted to be an artist. It was only after two attempts at the National Institute of Design (Ahmedabad), one at the Faculty of Fine Arts (Vadodara), and three at the College of Art (New Delhi), that he could pursue his dream. Passionate about modern and contemporary art, as-well-as living traditions of India, he calls himself a middle-class collector, with a modest aim to “bust the notion that only big monies can buy art”. I met him at his Noida home, when he was in between jobs after leaving his role of Associate Vice President with Saffronart (the largest Indian auction house) to join the upcoming Museum of Art and Photography in Bengaluru as the Head of Exhibitions.

4 mins

Mapping It Out

Maps divide, and put us in our place, literally. But they are also an integral part of our identity and can be a beautiful and peaceful study of lines, forms, textures and space.

3 mins

Natural Lessons Of Differences

The magic of trees, open skies, meandering rivers, thick forests, playful gardens with visual bridges through it – all these can teach us to look at the variegated patterns of life in the colours of nature.

4 mins

Bridging The Gap

The G5A Foundation for Contemporary Culture situated in a reconstructed warehouse is more than just a venue; it is a space where innovation and collaboration come together to find expression.

4 mins

The Subtle Art Of Influence

A walk through the architecture firm Mancini Enterprises brings with it not just the age-old charm of architecture but also questions of its influence within personal and societal narratives.

5 mins

The Serial Effect

Despite the ubiquitous appeal of ‘saasbahu’ family dramas on television and their influence on fashion, they remain excluded from ‘elite’ fashion as the comparatively unrefined sartorial pleasures of the masses.

6 mins

This Side, That Side

In Search of Dariya Sagar might be about the Sindhi community’s Partition trauma, but with its questions of identity, communal baggage, fear and shame, it could well be the story of the human condition today.

4 mins

In Two Minds

From psychologically sensitive biopics to farcical comedies, cinema is forever engaged with the idea of fractured identities.

4 mins

Read all stories from Arts Illustrated

Arts Illustrated Magazine Description:

Arts Illustrated is an Indian based arts and design magazine dedicated to understanding the contemporary arts landscape and creating a more inclusive ecosystem for the arts in the country. It delves deeply into the visual arts and design narrative, offering a global and contemporary perspective to subjects, information and ideas that we believe, need to be heard by a larger audience. Our endeavour is to create an exciting read that reflects our ethos to inspire, evoke and enrich our readers. Our visually laid out chronicle of the creative landscape is published bi-monthly (once in two months) and is available across 12 key cities in India.