Hi, my name’s Angharad and I’m addicted to…all things Indian. Not just the food (although I’ve just learned to make kick-ass tandoori salmon); I am also obsessed with Indian clothes, jewellery, ornaments and artwork. My bedroom looks a little like it aspires to be a scene from the Ramayana, with Indian prints on the walls and a Rajasthani rug which I think of affectionately as my Magic Carpet (there’s a little bit of Disney in everyone). As you can imagine, I am therefore pretty excited whenever there is an Indian exhibition on in London. Earlier this year I went to the Maharaja exhibition at the V&A, and a few days ago I visited the Indian Portrait exhibition, part of ‘Indian Spring’ at the National Portrait Gallery.
Now, I should probably mention that I am a student, which means that I am programmed to make a beeline for anything that is either labelled Admission Free or involves complementary drinks. Unfortunately they are not offering the latter at the Indian Portrait exhibition, but it is entirely free, so it’s a great way to soak up some culture whilst saving yourself some pennies.
The exhibition runs until 20th June and explores the way in which styles of Indian portraiture have changed over the centuries. Many of the paintings depict emperors and their courtiers, and are lavishly decorated with gold leaf. One of the things which I love about Indian art is the fantastic array of colours displayed, and these paintings do not disappoint with their deep reds and greens, brilliant blues and rich shades of golden yellow. The scale of some of the pictures is particularly impressive, ranging from tiny miniatures of incredible detail to a stunning life-size portrait. There is also a good variety of subject matter: although many of the paintings were commissioned by royalty to reflect their grandeur and power, these hang beside pictures of humble holy men and servants, providing a wider perspective on what life was really like in an Indian court.
If I had a criticism of the exhibition it would be to do with layout: it isn’t made clear which way round you should walk, so, bright spark that I am, I managed to do the whole thing backwards. If you do go, make sure that you go round clockwise. And don’t forget to enter yourself into the competition to win a trip for two to Goa – all you have to do is fill in a feedback form at the end.
You can find out more about the Indian Portrait exhibition on the National Portrait Gallery’s website.
By Angharad Mead.
Image via the National Portrait Gallery website.
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