The Art Culture Festival team presents a curated list of 6 diverse books on the Indian art scene, ranging from timeless classics to visual narratives of contemporary art and photography. Whether you’re drawn to modern masters, evocative photography, or a historical overview, there’s something to ignite every art lover’s passion.
1. 108 Portraits of Indian Culture & Heritage, a 14-part series — Dr. Alka Pande
108 Portraits of Indian Culture and Heritage is a 14-volume series offering an encyclopedic exploration of India’s rich traditional knowledge. Each volume delves into a unique discipline, from Indian Traditional and Contemporary Art, Music, Dance, Sculpture, Architecture, and Textiles, to Food, Photography, Design, Crafts, and more. The number 108 holds symbolic significance in Indian art, thought, and philosophy, which is reflected throughout the series.
Each book provides a comprehensive overview of its subject, blending informative text with stunning visual imagery in a thoughtfully designed format. Every volume features an immersive, interactive segment and includes a detachable takeaway that enhances the theme. Nuanced and inquisitive in approach it provides an in-depth exploration of India’s artistic and cultural heritage.
2. 20th Century Indian Art — Partha Mitter, Parul Dave Mukherji, Rakhee Balaram
This landmark collection offers a fresh outlook of Indian art from the twentieth century to the present. In recent decades, major international museums have increasingly recognized modern Indian and South Asian art, leading to greater acquisition and exhibition. Lavishly illustrated, this volume presents an engaging narrative of modern art from the subcontinent, as seen through the lens of prominent Indian art historians.
The book pairs key illustrations with a strong narrative thread, featuring multiple expert perspectives on modernism, modernity, and the diversity of contemporary art practices. Covering a range of subjects, including Group 1890, the Madras Art Movement, Regional Modernism, and Dalit art, while highlighting influential artists like Amrita Sher-Gil and the Raqs Media Collective. Sections are also dedicated to the art of Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and other parts of South Asia.
With expert insights and thought-provoking interviews with artists, 20th Century Indian Art serves as a comprehensive sourcebook on modern, postmodern, and contemporary Indian art, making it a strong reference for South Asian art and art histories.
3. Rain Dogs — Rohit Chawla
In 2021, while the world retreated indoors to escape the pandemic, renowned photographer Rohit Chawla found refuge under the monsoon skies of Goa. The beaches, usually bustling with tourists, were empty except for a few stray dogs.
For forty years, Rohit had photographed people, but this experience of solitude was new. The vast, empty tourist-less beaches, rhythmic lapping of waves and the occasional appearance of a few stray dogs in that hauntingly expansive landscape became central to what was his everyday mundane routine.
Rohit began photographing them, sensing a shared need for connection. Three years later, the images revealed a story of their own, leading to the creation of Rain Dogs—an exhibition and book featuring contributions from thirty writers who complement his personal photographs.
What makes Rain Dogs truly special is its commitment to giving back. All royalties from the book have been waived by the author and agent, with proceeds going to registered animal welfare charities. Rain Dogs is not merely a visual journey, but a reimagining of perspective that seeks to acknowledge and foreground the forgotten.
4. Tumi, Ma — Jayasri Barman
An evocative collection of poetry by Jayasri Burman, takes readers on an emotional journey through the poet’s intimate reflections. Published by Art Alive Gallery, this bilingual anthology features 76 poems and prose pieces, originally penned in Bengali, Burman’s native language. Accompanying each work are over 100 striking illustrations, which elevate the narrative, infusing the book with both visual and emotional depth.
Translated into English by Arunava Sinha, the book brings Burman’s emotional and artistic vision to a global audience, offering a rich reflection on both personal and universal themes.
5. The Air is a Mill of Hooks — Anju Dodiya
Published alongside Anju Dodiya’s solo exhibition, this catalogue offers an insightful look into her distinctive body of work. Known for her sensitive ‘fictional self-portraits,’ Dodiya delves into the challenging act of creation. A dedicated watercolourist, she stretches the medium to its limits, experimenting with scale and texture on unconventional surfaces. Her pieces often juxtaposed delicate, spontaneous watercolour stains with sharp, controlled charcoal lines.
Over the years, Dodiya has broadened her visual language, blending influences from poetry, miniature paintings, Renaissance art, Japanese Ukiyo-e prints, European cinema, and digital media. In her introspective works, viewers “encounter a palimpsest of art history, cinema, haute couture, and private jokes,” as cultural theorist Nancy Adajania notes, reflecting the layered complexity of her practice.
6. 5000 Years of Indian Art — Sushma K Bahl
5000 Years of Indian Art demystifies the rich and diverse history of Indian art spanning millennia. Visually striking, this book offers a rare panoramic view of India’s artistic evolution, from prehistoric times to the contemporary period. The narrative seamlessly weaves together a broad spectrum of artistic genres, including prehistoric art, ancient Vedic and Buddhist traditions, temple art, Mughal miniatures, colonial art, modern Indian art, and contemporary practices. Instead of adhering to rigid historical periods, the book explores how these artistic forms evolved across different eras, presenting a continuous creative continuum. Through its captivating illustrations, the book journeys from the earliest primitive markings on stones and cave walls to the refined works of painting, sculpture, modern photography, and cutting-edge contemporary art, including installations and media-driven pieces.
Article By:
Sohini Bagchi
Contributor
