27th Sept. 2002

Saffronart, Pundole return to NYC with 12 modernists By JYOTIRMOY DATTA Saffronart and Pundole Art Gallery are scheduled to return to New York from Sept. 28-Oct. 1 with their annual exhibition of modern Indian art at the Metropolitan Pavilion in downtown Manhattan. The show will include works by 12 of the leading modernists, including some members of the Progressive Artists Group such as Francis Newton Souza, S.H. Raza, M.F. Husain, among others, who were largely responsible for shaping the face of contemporary art from the Indian subcontinent today. The show examines various aspects of the development of contemporary Indian art, in terms of the aesthetics, the development of particular artists, their thematic threads, and the rise of a modernist movement that coincided with the independence of India in 1947, and has progressed into a contemporary art movement that reflects today's emerging India within the global perspective. Of particular note in this exhibition, is the historically significant work of the founder of the Progressive Artists' group, Francis Newton Souza, a long time resident of New York, who passed away in April of this year but has left an indelible mark on the art community as well as on collectors who interacted with him. The show is presented by Saffronart, which has been acclaimed as one of the most comprehensive sources for information and works of Indian modern and contemporary art. The company has a presence in several cities in India and in California, besides having a Web site (www.saffronart.com) that displays a catalogue of several thousand paintings available for sale online as well as an extensive archive of information on artists and their paintings. Saffronart has, over the last few years, conducted a series of exhibitions across Asia and the U.S. and has held highly successful online auctions over the last three years. This latest exhibition is part of Saffronart's ongoing endeavor to generate international awareness of 20th century Indian art. Partnering with Saffronart in this venture is Pundole Art Gallery, which specializes in modern and contemporary Indian art. Founded in 1963, the art gallery has maintained an exclusive stable of artists that includes Husain, Sakti Burman and Akbar Padamsee. The exhibit will be curated by Dadiba Pundole, who owns and operates the gallery. The exhibition can be viewed online and the works may be purchased at www. saffronart.com.

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