Online Exhibitions
The Forgotten Souvenir
As Mughal reign in the Indian subcontinent began to fade around the latter part of the 18th century owing to the expansion of the British Empire, Indian royal patronage towards the arts steadily declined. As a result, Indian artists adapted to meet the demands of a new clientele who sought to document the colony through art. Artists resorted to quicker and more inexpensive mediums—one of which was mica. With a close resemblance to European glass paintings, mica paintings made for an attractive souvenir for British travellers and Company officials.
This online exhibition provides insights into the materiality of mica and the process of creating mica paintings with depictions of everyday experiences of people during a time of colonial scrutiny and change.
The mica paintings in this online exhibition represent a nearly forgotten chapter in Indian art, bridging the gap between the decline of traditional miniature painting and the rise of photography.
This online exhibition is an iteration of The Forgotten Souvenir, curated at the Museum of Art & Photography (MAP), Bengaluru in November 2024.
We are grateful to Mazumdar Shaw Philanthropy (MSP), whose generous contribution has made this exhibition possible. MSP has been a valued supporter of MAP since its inception.
ACCESS LEVEL
Public
Curator(s)
MAP Curatorial Team
