About Book
'5000 Years of Indian Art' demystifies the story of Indian art spread over the millennia. This visually stunning book is a rare example of a volume that offers a panoramic view of Indian art from pre-historic times to the contemporary period. The absorbing narrative woven around the wide ambit of the creative continuum links different predominant artistic genres like prehistoric art, ancient Indian art of Vedic and Buddhist traditions, temple art, Mughal miniature painting, colonial art, modern Indian art, and contemporary art that were prevalent in different eras instead of formally demarcated historical periods. The illustrated tale encompasses the entire gamut ranging from the earliest primitive markings on stones, caves, and frescoes to exquisite paintings, sculptures, modern photography, and finally crafted artefacts to media-inspired work, popular installations, and other forms of contemporary art. The book displays around 200 select masterpieces of art sourced from museums, galleries, and private collections around India and the world that celebrate Indian art.
The history of Indian art is as old as the civilisation itself and every major period of history has given it newer modes of expression and forms of art. This book successfully captures all the myriad influences that have enriched Indian art over the years.
About Author
Sushma K. Bahl MBE, is an independent arts consultant, writer, and curator of cultural projects. She headed the British Council's arts and culture policy and programme for India until April 2003. She has organised many exhibitions on Indian art in several countries and was involved in planning the first ever 'Festival of India' held in Britain in 1982. During her stint for three decades at the British Council, she worked on the Indian tours of Padshahnama from Royal Collection, Windsor Castle, and the Enduring Image exhibitions of the British Museum and the associated extensive outreach programmes besides other creative and significant projects. As a freelancer, Sushma Bahl has conceived and curated a series of seminal art projects and exhibitions like 'Fair & Furious' based on the theme of women; 'Ways of Seeing' that won the IHC Art India Award for the best curated group show; 'Vistaar', which was an interface between artists and designers; and Annanya, which was an overview of contemporary Indian art. She was the Co-director for Indian arts at the Gwacheon Hanmadang Festival in South Korea 2004, Guest Director for XI Triennale- India 2005, Co-curator for the V9/U9 Indo-UK Digital Art Project, Project Consultant for Bharat Rang Mahotsav X11, and a Jury Member for the 14th Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh in 2010. She has edited, written, and contributed to several books on art and artists like Thota Vaikuntam, Paresh Maity, Satish Gupta, and Shuvaprasanna. Sushma Bahl is a trustee and advisory panel member of select cultural institutions in India and abroad like the National Gallery of Modern Art Delhi and Florence Biennale in Italy. She lives in Delhi, India.