Talk by Professor R. Siva Kumar
Born in Kerala, Professor R. Siva Kumar is a renowned contemporary Indian art historian, art critic, and curator, celebrated for his research on early Indian modernism, particularly the Santiniketan School. Educated in Kerala and Santiniketan, he began teaching at Visva Bharati in 1981 and served as a professor of Art History for over 40 years, enriching the academic community with his passion and expertise before retiring in 2022.
Author of over 18 books beginning with The Santiniketan Murals (1995) and Santiniketan: The Making of a Contextual Modernism (1997), and including Rabindra Chitravali, a comprehensive four-volume compilation of Rabindranath Tagore’s paintings (2011) and Enchantment and Engagement: The Murals of K.G. Subramanyan (2015). Has written extensively on Abanindranath Tagore, Rabindranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Benodebehari Mukherjee, Ramkinkar Baij, and K.G. Subramanyan.
His curated exhibitions include Santiniketan: The Making of a Contextual Modernism (1997), Retrospective of K.G. Subramanyan (2003), Centenary Retrospective of Benodebehari Mukherjee (co-curated with Gulammohammed Sheikh, 2006) and The Last Harvest: Paintings of Rabindranath Tagore, which travelled to nine museums across the world and four museums in India during 2011–2013.
This is part of the closing programme of Kasauli Art Centre 1976–1991: An exhibition of artworks, prints and archival documents, curated and produced by SSAF, on display at Arthshila Santiniketan until 20 November 2024.