Anrad Gallery presents five artists whose practices are shaped by the aesthetics of miniature art. Representing microcosms of larger realities, detailed narratives and intimate, meditative experiences, their works encourage a close and immersive viewing. Coded gestures, colours and spatial arrangements reveal philosophical, religious and worldly meanings, emphasised through the intricacy of brushwork, ornamentation and craftsmanship.

 

Two distinct worldviews are juxtaposed, each presenting their own particular narrative through their interpretative frameworks. Indian Rajput miniature paintings traditionally illustrated to accompany texts devoted to courtly or religious themes are positioned together with Western, contemporary compositions. Both invite the viewer to engage closely with their multi-layered and symbolic meanings.

 

The painted Indian manuscripts in this exhibition include illustrations from the Barah Masa, Raag Mala, and Bikaner styles, each represented by a contemporary master of the tradition.

 

The Barah Masa series, painted by Sushil Son, depicts the twelve months of the year, focusing on the changing relationship between the hero and heroine as influenced by the shifting seasons. Each month is beautifully personified, capturing the nuances of nature’s cycles and their emotional resonance.

 

The Raag Mala series, created by Rajeev Kumar, visually represents musical modes, known as ragas, often personified as human figures. These are linked to specific times of the day or seasonal moods, offering a sensory interplay between art and music.

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Mahaveer Swami, reflects the exquisite refinement of the Bikaner school of painting, which blends Mughal influences with delicate Rajasthani craftsmanship. Characterised by fine detailing, intricate ornamentation, and a soft interplay of light and shadow, Swami’s works capture the spiritual and narrative depth of this centuries-old tradition.

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All three styles showcase the radiant nayika (heroine) and the charming nayaka (hero) set against opulent backdrops. The scenes feature lavishly decorated mansions with carpets, silken cushions, marble terraces, and grand pavilions, exuding luxury and refinement.

 

The figures themselves are slender and graceful, adorned in delicate, translucent fabrics woven with gold thread or vibrantly patterned textiles. The elaborate ornamentation, with intricate detail, adds to their elegance and charm.

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Through these paintings and their accompanying verses, the aesthetic and emotional essence of the sensuous human form is vividly conveyed.

 

Susie Hamilton’s work is influenced by the delicate landscape paintings of Indian miniatures depicting deities like the elephant god Ganesha, Radha and Krishna in moonlight, or the monkey god Hanuman. Her miniatures create a strange, radiant world with jewel-like details and unreal colours and evoke an idealised realm, inspiring longing for a higher, more beautiful reality. The artificiality in her miniatures has a religious intent, far removed from the commercial coatings. This progression of artifice moves the viewer to a more spiritual, reflective space for creativity and contemplation. She draws on images of ascetic huts in Indian paintings, reinterpreting the cottage as the dwelling of an artist or contemplative monk, grounded in creativity and touching upon an ideal that transcends the ordinary.

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Henrietta MacPhee’s clay practice blends the visual and tangible by creating illusions and a sense of complexity. Portraying scenes of poetic tenderness and humour her work interweaves life’s diversity of people and their cultures.

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The works in the exhibition present miniature art through a diversity of interpretative frameworks that emphasise its intimate symbolism, detail, and layered narratives.

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Anuradha Chowdhury-Sorabjee

Curatorial Advisor