The quintessence of independent thinking reveals either seemingly simple or deeply complex creative imagination of artists. Their cultural environment, spiritual orientation and inheritance get reflected in the execution of their ideas and ideologies. In the artistic forms and contents, a unique dialectic relationship is established between the concerns of their changing society and their creation. In spite of sharing the same culture and environment, artists create novel and different meanings of their individualistic urge and visions to their life and at the same time revitalize what they have inherited with a sense of responsibility.

The things that pass from generation to generation sometimes influence an individual in an unconscious way and consequently give rise to an implicit awareness. Its acceptance is inevitable, however the exercise to choose ways of reacting to it are very individualistic and distinctive to each artist. Sometimes expressions become outburst of protests and sometimes they contain a subliminal stimulation to challenge societal norms. On the other hand the expressive qualities sometimes indicate silent acknowledgement of the reality of our existence or simply the celebration of our rich inheritance. The cultural beliefs and emotional values are personalized within us whereas the external environment we live in influences the artistic disposition in many ways. As a result an artwork becomes a visual language that acknowledges and respects inherited values that are tethered to history, culture and geographical boundaries.

DR. SUMITA CHAUHAN (curator)