New York, Dec 27 (IANS) The Philadelphia Museum of Art has put on display masterful drawings from Indian royal courts, works of contemporary photographers and woven textiles of the Zo people living along the India-Myanmar border in three separate exhibitions focused on India.
'Drawn from Courtly India' showcases masterful drawings from the royal courts of northern India, which are part of a collection by artist Conley Harris and architectural designer Howard Truelove. The collection features practice sketches, preparatory drawings, subtly modelled scenes, and lightly coloured compositions created between the 1500s and 1800s, according to the museum.
With images at different stages of completion, the collection allows for a fascinating look at Indian workshop practice. Although the majority of the drawings served as preparatory studies for paintings, they are accomplished works of art in their own right, it adds.
The photo exhibition, 'Picture This', features the work of four contemporary photographers for whom India is an important subject or setting -- Gauri Gill, Sunil Gupta, Max Pinckers and Pamela Singh.
Diverse in nationality and place of residence, each of these artists brings a cosmopolitan perspective to his or her work. Whether photographing in rural Rajasthan or major cities like Mumbai or New York, they offer points of view that do not fit easily into categories of "insider" or "outsider", the museum's website says.
'Art of the Zo' offers a look at beautiful woven textiles of the Zo people of Myanmar, India and Bangladesh. It spotlights traditional attires worn by these tribal people, revealing the extraordinary beauty and craftsmanship of these distinctive creations.
While 'Drawn from Courtly India' and 'Picture This' exhibitions will be on till March 20 and 27, respectively, 'Art of the Zo' will end on April 3 next year.
