The Last Harvest: The Paintings of Rabindranath Tagore
Sun. 01/29 - Sun. 04/15 @ The Art Institute of Chicago (map)
- Event Details
- January 29–April 15, 2012 Gallery 50 Overview: There is no bigger cultural icon in India and Bangladesh than Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941). A renowned novelist, poet, musician, and philosopher—the first non-European to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913—Tagore is responsible for shaping the modern Indian identity. While perhaps lesser known, his paintings also demonstrate his profound cultural impact. Sixty-one of these impressive works, drawn from three collections in India, come together in this exhibition and offer a glimpse into the visionary mind of this influential thinker. Rabindranath Tagore. Untitled , 1934. Rabindra Bhavana. Untrained in art, Tagore did not begin to draw and paint until until his mid-60s when he discovered that his innate sense of rhythm, which previously found expression only through his calligraphic hand, could also be conveyed in pictorial form. Combining Arabic calligraphy, modern Western art, and what was then known as “primitive” art, Tagore became the first Indian artist to show his works in the West. His images—all left untitled to allow the visuals to speak for themselves—were much admired when they were first shown in Paris in May 1930. Exhibitions across Europe, Russia, and the United States quickly followed. Tagore undertook these exhibitions in part because he believed that while his music and writing were primarily for Bengal and India, his paintings—free from the limitations of language—were for the whole world. The Art Institute is pleased to join the celebrations of Tagore’s 150th birthday by bringing The Last Harvest: The Paintings of Rabindranath Tagore to Chicago. Co-organized by the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, and the Ministry of Culture of the Government of India, this is the first major traveling exhibition from India to be exhibited at the Art Institute and presents a stunningly beautiful visual introduction to one of India’s most highly regarded writers and artists. Organizer: The exhibition is organized by the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, and the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Sponsor: Lead Corporate Sponsor of The Last Harvest: The Paintings of Rabindranath Tagore Generous support is provided by Anita and Prabhakant Sinha and the Sinha Kikeri Foundation. Additional support is provided by Charles and Kathleen Harper and Penelope R. Steiner.
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