Stellar Projects

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St Moritz Art Masters

The Stellar International Art Foundation was pleased to present its first exhibition of seminal modern and contemporary Indian art for the seventh edition of the St Moritz Art Masters 2014.

At the exhibition’s heart were unprecedented gestural ink and pencil drawings from a fundamental phase in the life of the late great Maqbool Fida Husain. The Maria series illustrates one of the artists’ most significant bodies of work that had never been exhibited in full to the public. Conceived of by M F Husain initially in Prague and continued upon his return to India, the series comprises of a group of eighty unprecedented gestural ink and pencil drawings, ethnographic in appearance, from a significant period in his career in the mid-1950s. These were accompanied by similarly significant and previously unseen, oil and acrylic works that span a longer period in the artist’s career; delivered in his emotive signature style.

Curated by Indian artist Paresh Maity, whose own highly stylised watercolours provided a contemporary context for Husain’s work. Just as the Indian art brought the east to the Alps, Paresh’s vibrant style brought India to his depictions of Venice, Japan, Iceland and Alaska.

In contrast, the work of Jayasri Burman brought to life the spiritual in both literal and stylistic manner, exploring the myths, fables and religion of India. It is up close that one discovers the true essence of Burman’s work and the technique by which her ethereal style is communicated.

This tribute as an exhibition also highlighted the launch of the first publication since Husain’s tragic passing in 2011. Commissioned by Stellar International Art Foundation, M F Husain: The Journey of a Legend. The book is a prodigious volume including all of the nearly 300 works by Husain in the Stellar International Art Foundation collection.

The entire event, in fact, truly centred on a tribute to this great Indian artist. And his presence was certainly felt and celebrated throughout the event from opening to close.