Paper and Threads

My artist friends and I discovered SE Asian Modern and Contemporary art several years ago and fell in love with their colorful, native, representational art, while much of the art world was deep into abstract expressionism.  We go to the auction previews at Christies and Sothebys during Asia Week, and in 2018 Pat and I saw an amazing exhibit at the Asia Society about the Progressive Artists' Group which formed in 1947 while the British were leaving India.   

Last week Christies had more than 100 pieces of Modern and Contemporary SE Asian art from this time period, and 4 of us went to see the paintings and sculpture,    Each of us sketched from the works.  These are 4 paintings/prints that I liked - the 4th one is just one figure from a much bigger painting. 

B. Prabha

MF Husain

MF HUsain

Avinash Chandra 

I learn so much from drawing/painting exhibited art, including the color palettes, line qualities, and subjects.  I also see the gallery exhibits through a different prism as I learn about which drawings and paintings I am attracted to.

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Asia Week in New York City 2019

My friends and I love the Southeast Asian Modern and Comporary Auction Previews at Sothebys and Christies.  These are painters from the 21st C, and several of our favorites were in a group that began modern Indian painting.  I went to both big auction houses to see the auction previews during Asian week, and just painted portions of a few of my favorites.  The paintings on the left were from Sothebys.  The paintings on the right were from Christies.  All of the images are from India, except the middle figure on the right.  That was copied from a very long Chinese scroll.

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In March 2015, during Asia Week in NYC, I discovered Modern Indian paintings at Sothebys and the first painting I copied was by M.F. Husain.  Since then I have seen many more paintings by the "modern" artists at Sotheby's and Christies.  Last week I saw a wonderful, big, historical exhibit at the Asia Society here in Manhattan - The Progressive Revolution: Modern Art for a New India. From the exhibit "On August 15, 1947 India threw off the shackles of British rule and in the ensuing period of transition, turmoil, and hope, six young firebrands came together in Bombay, now known as Mumbai."  Their group was called the Progressive Artists Group and they became known as the Moderns.  M.F. Husain (1918-2011) was one of those six artists.  Here is my copy from the exhibit, inspired by M.F. Husain's Village Woman (1954).  

Brochure from the Asia Society: Exhibit through Jan 20, 2019.  See website for hours, including periods when entry is free. 

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Pat, Benedicte, and I met our friend Gwen at the Morgan Library and Museum to see the Wayne Thiebaud exhibit.  It was my second visit, and it was equally enjoyable both times.  I wanted to paint his watercolor Candy Apples, and used his watercolor painting as a guide.   

Candy Apples - my version of Wayne Thiebaud's watercolor candy apples.

Thiebaud is an excellent draftsman and this graphite self-portrait was lovely.

Last week was Asia Week for Galleries in NYC, and Christies featured an auction of Southeast Asian Modern and Contemporary Art.  Over the last several years my friends and I found artists in these exhibits whose work we really like.  My favorite is B. Prahba  (1933-2001).  She paints many elongated, rural Indian women, and I like everyone of them, the same way I like almost all of Modigilani's women. 

Here is a brief biography of her: https://www.saffronart.com/artists/b-prabha

This is my painting from the exhibit, in the style of B.Prabha, but painted in watercolor instead of oil.   I also posted the other original painting of hers in the auction.  

B Prahba:  Vorsova Girls 1960

B. Prabha Untitled (Fisherwomen) 1969 

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I had a very quiet day at home today, so I did "figure drawing practice" for my daily drawing.  It has been weeks since I painted from one of my friend Bunny's India travel photos, and I was attracted to the quiet pose of this seated woman.

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