Despair and Modernity: Reflections from Modern Indian Painting

Speakers: Harsha V. Dehejia, Meera Devidayal, Dyaneshwar Nadkarni, Ashok Ranade, Girish Shahane and Baiju Parthan
Discussant: Saryu Doshi

November 30, 2000 | 6.30 pm
Little Theatre, National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai

In the book, ‘Despair and Modernity: Reflections from Modern Indian Painting’ Harsh V. Dehejia has tried to create a place within the main frame of culture and philosophy of Indian art for a legitimate analytic theory called despair. Dehejia’s effort creates a space for the modern within Indian classicism by negotiating the philosophy of despair in classical terms. As a result the basic schism that has grown in recent years between the philosophy and history of modern art on the one hand and the philosophy and history of traditional arts is today closer to being breached. The book has been shaped in conversation with Prem Shankar Jha and Ranjit Hoskote, and the panel will reflect on the meanings of modernity and its reflection in modern Indian painting, along with the implications of modernity as we experience in our lives today.