A Brush with Cubism

Deconstructed Realms, a new exhibition at DAG Delhi, offers a window into Indian artists' engagement with Cubism

- Geetika Sachdev

Cubism,pioneered by greats like Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque in the early 20th century, challenged conventional perspectives through its exploration of abstraction and multiple perspectives. Initially, Cubist art was rejected by many for its confusing methodology. Eventually, it influenced the trajectory of artistic expression across the world, including India-evolving into a new visual language to represent reality. A new exhibition at DAG Delhi, Deconstructed Realms: India's Tryst with Cubism, offers a window into this brief encounter between India and Cubism.

"As a result of early encounters between European and Indian artistpatrons, western pedagogy changed art practices in India. This evolution steered the creation of new, dynamic forms of art such as the Company School, Early Bengal oil paintings and even the Kalighat Pats," says Ashish Anand, CEO and managing director, DAG.