DAG to present Modern Indian Art Collection at Masterpiece London 2018

For the third year running, DAG (formerly known as Delhi Art Gallery) will be participating at Masterpiece London 2018, the UK’s leading cross collecting fair for art, design and collectibles. For this year’s edition, June 28-July 4, DAG’s focus at its enlarged, 90 sqm booth is sharper, and creates a narrative for Indian modern art that addresses a sophisticated, discerning audience. Twentieth century Indian art has a rich and varied diversity, but the carefully curated selection at Masterpiece has been chosen to reflect its ability to be part of an international dialogue. Consisting of eleven hand-picked works, the paintings straddle the period from the 1940s to the 1980s, with most being concentrated mid-century, at a time when Indian modern art was coming into its own. Its confident stance was the result of artistic experimentation to arrive at a technique and a context that was distinctive and set each artist apart from his peers. Between them, they represent different regional geographies, and have been part of extensive documentation and critical writing around their styles and subjects.

Consisting of 11 hand-picked works, the paintings straddle the period from the 1940s to the 1980s – a time when Indian modern art was coming into its own. Its confident stance was a result of artistic experimentation to arrive at a technique and a context that was distinctive and set each artist apart from his peers. Between them, they represent different regional geographies, and have been part of extensive documentation and critical writing around their styles and subjects.

DAG was established as a private art gallery in 1993 in New Delhi. Over the past 25 years, DAG has carved a reputation for the quality of its collection of art works that represent the expanse of Indian art practice from the 17th century onwards. DAG’s extensive collection over the past two decades charts a historic continuum, from the early works of academic artists trained in Bengal and Bombay (now Mumbai), to modernists from Baroda (now Vadodara), Delhi and beyond. In an effort to take Indian modernism to a wider audience, DAG has opened gallery spaces in the historic Kala Ghoda, Mumbai in 2014, and the iconic Fuller Building in Manhattan, New York in 2015. DAG boasts of art works by some of India’s most celebrated artists, including Raja Ravi Varma, Amrita Sher-Gil, MF Husain, SH Raza, Tyeb Mehta, FN Souza, Ram Kumar, Avinash Chandra, Chittoprasad and VS Gaitonde.