A work by Gaganendranath Tagore on exhibition

How dated certain works of art look even before they have crossed a century! This is the first impression that the exhibition, Indigenous Modernism in Bengal, organised by the Birla Academy of Art and Culture from its own collection, may create unless viewers take a good look at all the exhibits.

The innumerable large and smaller paintings of exotic gods and goddesses, Buddha in all his glory, languid maidens and their epicene consorts, and the faded beauty of the countryside may have been painted by the artists of Bengal in reaction to the Western academism in vogue in the Government Art College curriculum, but they look little better than pastiche today. Inspired by the glories of Ajanta and Ellora and our miniature paintings, as well as by our history and myths and Oriental art in general, they are highly decorative and colourful, effete and hopelessly romantic.

Of course, one should not make the mistake of jumping to the conclusion that the current exhibition presents a comprehensive picture of ?indigenous modernism?, for these works are culled from a personal collection, and, thus, reflect the tastes of the collector. Having begun on this critical note, one must add that this exhibition is a must-see for all art lovers, because the city lacking a representative museum, not everyday do Calcuttans get the opportunity to see trend-setting works of such high quality painted in the early years of the 20th century, works that paved the way for modernism.

Consider Gaganendranath?s experiments with cubism and light and shadow. Did photography influence his thinking? Tiny shimmering white rectangles stand out against a dark background. In another work, two figures in white ? one standing erect, the other sitting ? confront each other. In somewhat larger watercolours the space is fractured, accommodating several points of view.

With the minimum of details, this Tagore creates a world of mystery and gives cubism his very own stamp. All the shortcomings of this exhibition can be forgotten for these two rarely-seen paintings. Gagan?s brother Abanindranath is represented by some small washes.

There are three portraits by Rabindranath moulded with dark shades of watercolour. Nandalal Bose?s agile drawing shows a man running with a stick, while Benode Behari Mukherjee is represented by his masterly paintings of a farmer and a woman and a flowering tree. All these works are firmly rooted in the here and now.

The most spontaneous works are Ramkinkar Beij?s paintings of a buffalo and of a sprig with a touch of red. All these masters are immediately recognisable, as are the familiar Jamini Roy paintings. This body of paintings may not be large but it helps gain a deeper insight into the masters.