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1,500 years of storytelling: Karnataka hero stones to Satyajit Ray’s drawings
The new gallery at Bengaluru's Museum of Art and Photography also provides considerable space to modern graphic novel art.
One of the exhibits is a strip from a 1954 comic from Kolkata, 'Hote Pattam'. (Photo by special arrangement)
From ancient temple carvings to Amar Chitra Katha comics, Indian visual storytelling has a long history spanning the centuries. With A Moving Line: 1500 Years of Indian Visual Storytelling, the latest exhibit at Bengaluru’s Museum of Art and Photography, visitors can now understand how this field of art has evolved over the years.
Noted graphic novelist and artist Amruta Patil curated the collection of over 250 individual artworks and exhibits in collaboration with the museum. It is also set to go abroad later, to be displayed at Cité internationale de la bande dessinée, a renowned French comic museum.
The oldest displays in this exhibit will be particularly familiar to Bengaluru residents, as they highlight art from the ancient Halasuru Someshwara temple, dating back to the time of the Cholas. A 1,000-year-old veeragallu, or hero stone, also displays one of Karnataka’s oldest visual art forms—hundreds of these are still visible in Bengaluru if one knows where to look. One can also see art representing the Begur hero stone, a large inscription depicting a great battle, as well as the earliest mention of the word “Bengaluru”.
Gaganendranath Tagore’s satirical work
One can also see motifs in art over the years that still crop up in modern Indian comic art, such as different stages of time and events being shown progressing in the same panel. One also sees the dawn of the Indian comic art tradition and other art from the time, such as movie storyboards sketched by legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray. Satirical artwork targeting colonialism by Gaganendranath Tagore (a nephew of Rabindranath Tagore and noted cartoonist of the time) is one of the most unique exhibits.
Those who grew up in the 70s and 80s will also be familiar with posters on display from the time, displaying comics such as Amar Chitra Katha and Mandrake the Magician. The exhibition also provides considerable space to modern graphic novel art, exploring various themes from feminism to issues connected to caste.
Speaking to indianexpress.com, museum curator Khushi Bansal explained the process by which the exhibit was assembled. “It has been in the works for two years now. The intention was to first look at how sequence has always existed in our stories, but also to give graphic novels and comics the space they actually deserve,” she said.
The gallery will be open to visitors to the Museum of Art and Photography on all days except Monday, until November 15.
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