03/04/2009
An exhibition of contemporary Indian art of the Diaspora, implying concepts of change and adaptation, is on display in the Dowd Gallery at SUNY Cortland.
"Erasing Borders" runs through Saturday, April 25. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and by appointment. Group tours are also available.
The gallery is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
The 28 artists in this exhibition meld Indian and Western colors and forms in many media, including, paint, sculpture and photography. They also grapple with diverse subject matter, including AIDS, poverty, identity as a South Asian living in the post-9/11 world in addition to religious, sexual and ethnic identities.
"The stunning diversity of this exhibition is clearly its strong suit," said Gallery Director Andrew Mount. "Within the exhibition viewers will witness a wide array of types, styles and forms of artworks. These forms are within almost every media – from drawing to video, and they encompass an extraordinary range of subject matter, as diverse indeed as our population is."
The show, in its sixth year, explores the contributions of artists whose origins can be traced to the Indian subcontinent. In the 20th and 21st centuries, 20 million people of Indian origin shifted countries, which is reflected in the artists' work. Their subject matter draws from the country of origin, while many of the aesthetic values and political concerns come from the artists' newfound situations.
"We are very lucky to have this show here," said Mount. "SUNY Cortland's Dowd Gallery is the venue that the Indo-American Arts Council chose to initiate the exhibition for 2009."
Sponsors include the Consulate General of India, New York State Council on the Arts, the Department of Cultural Affairs, India Abroad, Queens Museum of Art, Aicon Gallery, Pennsylvania College of Technology and Rediff.com.
Dowd Gallery is trying to be ecologically sustainable by using e-mail announcements rather than printed invitations, Mount noted. Individuals may sign up to receive electronic newsletters by sending an e-mail to dowdgallery@cortland.edu with the subject line "Sign me up for the Dowd Newsletter."
For more information, contact Mount at (607) 753-4216 or andrew.mount@cortland.edu.