An Exhibition ‘Kalpana – Figurative Paintings of India in conversion with Filipino Artists was opened on 5th November, 2009 at Metropolitan Museum of Manila(MMM) by Hon’ble Ronald B. Allarey, Assistant Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr. Rajeet Mitter, Ambassador of India to Philippines, Hon’ble Cecile Guidote-Alvaez, Executive Director, NCCA, Mr. Ram Sital Das, President of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Mr. Ajit Singh Rye, former Dean Asian Center, University of the Philippines.

Entitled ‘Kalpana’, Sanskrit for imagination, the exhibit presents the figurative form in Indian art as seen in the last one hundred years through the works of fourteen of its best known painters, all prominent members of the art community in their country and abroad.

‘Kalpana’ gives a glimpse of different influences that have shaped Indian contemporary art– from local painting traditions of rural and fold art, miniaturism, mural painting, to Hindu-inspired illustrations. The exhibit also presents artworks that resulted in the synergy of Indian artistic expressions with Western art that loudly emerged in the Indian art scene during the 1950s, spurred by the seminal Progressive Artists Group of Souza, Khana and Husain.

For the Philippine leg of the ‘Kalpana’ tour, the Indian works are placed in conversation with works by an equally distinguished selection of Filipino painters to reveal confluences and divergences in the modern figurative painting tradition between the two countries. The Exhibition is co-presented by the Embassy of India with the support of the National Commission for Culture & Arts, and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the Diplomatic Relations between the India and Philippines.

The Exhibition will be on view to the public until 30th January, 2010 at the Upper Galleries of the MMC.