Materials have been significant components of artistic expression. However, the prevailing mind/matter dichotomy within ancient philosophical discourses has degenerated the role of material as passive and inert. This intrinsically hierarchical framework has endured since the Aristotelian era. Identifying the neglect of material dimension within the discourse of art history, the study aims to examine the active role and agency that materials assume during the process of ideation and creation of artworks. It considers the artists’ nuanced sensitivity and attentiveness towards materials and materiality. Drawing from Tim Ingold’s argument, the study departs from the conventional approach of analyzing the finished artworks; instead, it intricately captures and emphasizes the potential of examining the productive process of art-making that brings the artwork into existence. By critically analyzing the practice of twentieth-century Indian artists Ramkinkar Baij and Mrinalini Mukherjee as case studies, the study proposes that, firstly, art embodies a complex mind-matter process transcending the dichotomy of mind vs. matter; secondly, material assumes an active role in shaping the meaning and physical identity of the artworks; and thirdly, materials and the process of making influence the artistic style. The study also focuses on contextually grounded reading of the artist’s material and process for a holistic understanding of the artworks. The article consciously chooses two deceased exponents of Indian art whose works are well documented. This approach lays the radical potential of archival data for investigating the embodied experiences and material engagement of historical artists.

Authors:
Tanvi Jain, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India
Shatarupa Thakurta Roy, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India

About the Presenter(s)
Tanvi Jain is a practicing artist and a Ph.D. candidate at IIT Kanpur, India. Her current research proposes an alternative reading of art, insisting on the inclusion of materials as active agents on more equitable grounds with human agents.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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