PAINTING THE BLUES

An ongoing show at the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, Noida-Prussian Blue-focuses on an iconic pigment that was discovered by accident but changed the course of art

- Aditya Mani Jha

The story behind the genesis of the pigment Prussian blue is very much in the classic 'accidental discovery' template, à la Alexander Fleming and penicillin. Two German chemists circa 1704 were making Cochineal red, a pigment made from insects, when they accidentally used potash contaminated by the iron in the insects' blood, turning the solution a deep blue colour. Down the years, this affordable and versatile pigment has been used by noted artists around the world. At KNMA (Kiran Nadar Museum of Art), Noida, one can see several artworks involving this versatile pigment, in the show Prussian Blue: A Serendipitous Colour that Altered the Trajectory of Art (on till December 10). An impressive lineup of artists, including Anita Dube, Mithu Sen, Subodh Gupta, Ranbir Kaleka, Shilpa Gupta et al, have created works (paintings, sculptures, video art, installations) specifically commissioned for this show.