Eminent contemporary Indian artist Anjum Singh passed away on Tuesday after losing a prolonged battle with cancer, art collector Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, said.
She was 53.

“Anjum Singh was a wonderful artist who passed away after a long but brave and courageous battle with cancer,” she told PTI.

Born to renowned artists Arpita and Paramjit Singh, art came naturally to Singh, but she started her professional journey as an artist with a Bachelors in Fine Arts from Kala Bhawan, Santiniketan, followed by a Masters degree in the subject from College of Art, New Delhi.

Her last show “I Am Still Here” that was held last year at the Talwar Gallery here, documented through her own paintings her journey of living with cancer, which she was first diagnosed with in 2014.

“Today Anjum left us after a six and a half year courageous battle with cancer. She leaves a void that will forever remain so, but her art, her smile and tenacity to fight will remain, in our hearts and more,” the Delhi-based gallery wrote on Instagram.

The show, said curator Ranjit Hoskote, was “a poignant affirmation of presence, surprise, and the survivor”s determination”.

“I am deeply saddened to learn of Anjum Singh”s passing at 53, no age to go. She fought cancer over six years; her last exhibition, held a year ago, was titled ”I am still here”, a poignant affirmation of presence, surprise, the survivor”s determination. Rest in peace, Anjum,” he wrote on Twitter.

Expressing her condolences, Nadar said Singh would continue to live on through her work which was “independently noteworthy”.

“Her exhibition last year entitled ‘I am still here’ brought together a personal and passionate set of works that focused largely inwards as she grappled with her disease of the last few years. Our condolences go out to the whole family, she will remain alive through her work,” the KNMA founder said.

Singh also trained at The Corcoran School of Art, Washington DC from 1992 to 1994, and was a recipient of the Charles Wallace Fellowship, which led her to work at Gasworks, London in 2002-2003.

Her works are in the collections of Kiran Nadar Museum of Art and have been on view at Prince of Wales Museum, Mumbai, and at The San Jose Museum of Art, California.

Renowned Hindi writer and trustee of the Raza Foundation Ashok Vajpeyi remembered Singh as an artist with “an intense aesthetic vision and innovative zeal”.

“The Raza Foundation deeply mourns the passing away of Anjum Singh. She emerged as a distinctive painter of the young generation, with an intense aesthetic vision and innovative zeal.

“She struggled bravely with a killing disease. Her parents, the well known painters Arpita Singh and Paramjit Singh have suffered a grievous loss.The Raza Foundation is with them in this tragic moment,” the poet wrote on Facebook.

Singh’s works were recognisable in her use of bright colours, which were recurrent in her works on the continued degradation of the environment.

She was inspired by the “simple and mundane” element of the life that surrounded her, recalled curator Roobina Karode.

“Simple and mundane forms engaged Anjum. With cheerful colours she articulated the apathy towards erosion of the environment. A quest on corporeal vulnerability occupied her works right from her student days in Santiniketan, until her long and painful battle with cancer that she fought so bravely.

“Her solo exhibition, ‘I am still here’ showcased deeply sensitive works expressing fragility and delicacy,” the KNMA director said.

Artist Jayasri Barman took to Instagram to remember the late artist’s “poignant and powerful” work.

“Anjum”s art had the beautiful ability to portray pain into a collective experience. They were poignant, and powerful. Extremely saddened to use ‘had’ for her. It pains me to think of her wonderful parents…Praying for her soul,” she wrote.

Khoj Studios, a not- for-profit, contemporary arts organisation of which Singh was a former member, also mourned her loss.

“It is with a heavy heart that we bid farewell to our incredibly talented friend and artist Anjum Singh. Her association with Khoj began in the year 2000, when as a member of Khoj , she also attended the Khoj workshop at Modinagar. She was an integral part of the Khoj family in thought and spirit. Anjum, you will be thoroughly missed but your work, your courage and tenacity will remain with us. Rest in Peace,” the organisation said.

Politician Derek O”Brien also expressed his condolences on Twitter.

“Gone too soon. One of the brightest from the Indian art world. Anjum Singh, 53. Her powerful and moving final exhibition of her work is titled ‘I am still here.’ Condolences to her parents, artists extraordinaire, Paramjit Singh and Arpita Singh. Travel well, Anjum,” he wrote.

Source – https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/artist-anjum-singh-passes-away-following-battle-with-cancer/1977363

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This is just a snapshot of female talent found across the four-day program — and the region at large.

Despite their growing international stature, many of South Asia’s artists still seem to be rooted in their local and personal contexts

Women have long played a crucial role in the region’s arts scene, but many have faced — and continue to face challenges resulting from gender bias, whether it is difficulty finding opportunities to train or sell art, or a lack of critical recognition. This can be reflected in their work, which is often introspective, revealing the social hardships and tensions faced by many female artists.

 The earlier generations found their opportunities particularly limited, and their contributions have only recently been recognized as part of our art history.

Nalini Malani, for example, was ahead of her time in embracing film and video from the late 1960s, but her early works were largely disregarded and failed to receive the acknowledgement or exposure they deserved.

That said, there were exceptions to the rule. While reportedly disliked for her outspoken nature, pioneering Hungarian-Indian painter Amrita Sher-Gil overcame the barriers facing women in pre-war India to occupy a unique position in the country’s art history as one of its most prominent modernists.

Her work inspired a whole family of artists, including her nephew Vivan Sundaram, who is the subject of a 50-year retrospective at New Delhi’s impressive Kiran Nadar Museum of Art during India Art Fair.

Pioneering women

The problems women face are not unique to India. But as someone who has worked in media and the arts for over a decade, what is evident to me is that in India, like in many other developing creative hubs, women are also playing a central role in evolving the arts ecosystem.

In the past decade, it has been thoroughly encouraging to see greater prominence given to female artists in exhibitions, museum shows and collections around the world.

The aforementioned Nalini Malani was the subject of a retrospective at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, while Nasreen Mohamedi’s influential abstract drawings were recently showcased at The Met Breuer in New York.

The younger generation is more likely to explicitly addresses social issues faced by women in the country today. Among them are a number of artists exhibiting at India Art Fair week, including photographer Gauri Gill, whose 2012 exhibition “Transportraits: Women and Mobility in the City,” explored women’s personal safety on the streets and public transport.

But India’s female artists are also making a name for themselves through a huge variety of non-gendered topics. One prominent example is “My East is Your West” at the 2015 Venice Biennale, one of the most prestigious art events in the world (and one where the subcontinent has traditionally been under-represented). The exhibition saw Indian artist Shilpa Gupta collaborate with a male artist from Pakistan to reflect on the complex relations between their two countries.

A thriving sector

Beyond individual artists, women in the wider arts sector are now a real driving force. India’s female-led organizations span artist collectives, commercial galleries and non-profit foundations, from across the length and breadth of the country.

Through a combination of entrepreneurialism and interdisciplinary collaboration, women have helped bring about respect, critical acclaim and international recognition for the organizations they lead. And I’m delighted that a number of these non-profit organizations will be represented at India Art Fair this year — many for the first time.

 

 Of them, art collector and philanthropist Kiran Nadar, who supports artists through her foundation and museum in Delhi, is an incredible example of what is being achieved across the country. Elsewhere, we find pioneering figures like Hena Kapadia, director of Tarq, a relatively new gallery in Mumbai.

This year Tarq took on the leadership of Mumbai Gallery Weekend (an event that is growing in stature and significance with each edition), and the organization will present an all-female booth at this year’s India Art Fair.

 At the other end of the commercial spectrum is Shireen Gandhy who, as director of Chemould Prescott Road, has added dynamism and variety to the gallery’s programming. And, under the leadership of Pooja Sood, the international artists’ association KHOJ remains a key player in the Delhi arts scene, facilitating dialogue between practitioners through its workshops and residency program.

 

It’s clear to me that, despite the strength of its artists’ output and the commitment of its organizations, India has not yet achieved the recognition it deserves. But 2018 is a fascinating moment to be involved in the arts here — a sense of momentum is building.

And while the success of India’s art world will not be solely defined by gender issues, it’s nonetheless exciting to see that it’s being driven by the country’s women.

India Art Fair will run from February 9-12, 2018.
Jagdip Jagpal is the director of this year’s India Art Fair.
Credits : https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/india-art-fair-jagdip-jagpal/index.html

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