The Need of Art Archives in India

In this chapter, Indian artist Samit Das discusses the need for archives in Indian art by exploring the idea of Modernity and Modernism in Indian art. Das argues that it is important to analyze Indian art in an Indian context instead of judging it in light of Western worldviews in the name of globalization. He uses “new art of Bengal” as an example to reevaluate the works of artists such as Sir Rajendralal Mitra, Akshay Kumar Maitra, Swami Vivekananda, Abanindranath Tagore, and Rabindranath Tagore in Indian art history. Through his own research and practice, Das attempts to reconsider the glory of Indian art beyond Western lens, emphasizing the importance of artistic-research-based archives from the point of view of a contemporary artist.