Madras Art Movement gets Google’s gallery to showcase art collection

Madras witnessed an influx of artists from various parts of the country during the 60s. Those who completed their six-year art/craft course from the Madras School of Arts and Crafts found it hard to sustain in the field. KCS Paniker, the then principal of the institute, along with a group of artists came together and started a regional art movement called the Madras Art Movement. This movement that took place in the early 60s was pushed creatively by KCS Paniker in painting and S Dhanapal in sculpture.

Years later, in 2016, officials from the online platform, Google Arts and Culture, approached the current president of Cholamandal Artists’ Village, M Senathipathi seeking his permission to display paintings and sculptures created by artists during the Madras Art Movement period (1960-85). The three-year project came to completion recently. Now, people from across the world can view online the 76 paintings, line drawings, and sculptures created by 55 artists from the Madras Art Movement period.

“It’s a huge recognition for senior artists like me. When Paniker started the Madras Art Movement, his aim was to support and encourage artists from different age groups and states to create vernacular art of the region. To pool the skills of the artists, he bought a 10-acre land in Injambakkam with the help of a few well-wishers and established Cholamandal Artists’ Village in 1966. During that time, 20 resident painters and sculptors including me stayed in the village,” says M Senathipathi, sitting at his studio.

By the 70s, the village became self-sufficient and grew into one of the most important meeting places for artists in India. Later in 2009, the Museum of the Madras Movement was opened displaying works of prominent artists of the movement including, J Sultan Ali, KM Gopal, M Senathipathi, AP Santhanaraj, PS Nandhan, SG Vasudev, KV Haridasan, Thota Tharani andS Nandagopal.

“Google Arts and Culture is an online platform through which people worldwide can experience immersive art, history, culture, and world wonders. In 2016, Aruna and Bhaskar, from Google Art and Culture department approached us with a request. They wanted to display the works of artists and sculptors during the Madras Art Movement. It was a huge recognition for us. We quickly formed a team and collaborated with them,” says S Saravanan, Executive Board Member of Cholamandal Artists’ Village.

It took three years for the team to collect the work and details of artists during that period. “We hope that this global recognition would help people to learn about the art movement which brought modernism to art in south India. This also helps the current artists, who are associated with the Cholamandal Artists’ Village, to collaborate with artists and art connoisseurs on a global platform,” he adds.