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I was devastated to hear of the death of my beloved friend and mentor, BN Goswamy. He was unquestionably India’s greatest art historian, as well as one of the wisest, most elegant and generous men I have ever met. He was a warm friend, a rigorous scholar, a fabulous writer and an entrancing speaker who every year hypnotised the audience of the Jaipur Literature Festival from Boulder to the Maldives, from the British Library to Rajasthan. He changed our understanding of Indian art history forever.
PREMIUM Before Goswamy, most historians of Indian art tended to look at their subjects from the point of view of the patron. The great master bronzes of southern India are known after their Pallava and Chola patrons; the most accomplished court miniatures, such as the Padshahnama of Shah Jahan, tend to be seen through the prism of the Mughals who commissioned them. The patronage of individual rulers is the subject of detailed academic studies and exhibitions. But until Goswamy, few scholars had ever attempted to look at the production of Indian art from the point of view of the artists.
There is a reason for this. Very little evidence survives to illuminate the lives of Indian artists. All we have to go on is a series of minute inscriptions, often hidden in the details of paintings, sometimes in a deliberately humble position: The Mughal master Abu’l Hasan — who won the title Nadir al-Zaman, “Wonder of the Times” from Jahangir — deliberately chose to sign his name on the spade used to clear up the dung of his patron’s elephant.
Goswamy worked for nearly five decades to look down the other end of the art historical telescope. Like an Indian avatar of Bernard Berenson excavating in the Tuscan Ducal archives to unearth the bills of exchange between the artists and patrons which would enable him to provide attributions to a host of anonymous canvases, Goswamy has succeeded in reconstructing whole dynasties of previously obscure artists, given them names, and restored their identities and honour.
This is no easy task. Many painters came from the humble carpenter’s caste, who in ancient India ranked alongside lowly musicians and dancing girls. There survives in the Jehangir Album, now in Berlin, a heartbreaking self-portrait of the Mughal master painter, Keshav Das, coming in old age to beg for assistance from his former patron. The old artist shows himself ragged, hollow-chested, bowed and emaciated. In his hands, he holds a petition to the emperor who had once numbered him as among the greatest talents of his court. But even before the old man can present himself, a lathi-wielding attendant advances on him, stick raised, driving him back. In a similar mood, a moving letter found by Goswamy was written by the 18th century painter Shiba asking his patron Raja Sansar Chand of Kangra for permission to return home, “for your humble servant here has fallen on bad days. Your servant has been living on debt, but now no one will give him a loan. He is helpless and goes without food.”
In 1968, Goswamy wrote a ground-breaking article, “Pahari Painting: The Family as the Basis of Style”. Employing a combination of brilliant detective work and intuition, Goswamy managed to marry together the evidence from inscriptions on the back of miniatures with 18th century pilgrim records kept in Haridwar. In this way, he reconstructed the entire family network of arguably the greatest of all Indian painter families — that of Pandit Seu and his great sons, Nainsukh and Manaku, as well as their many artist grandchildren.
He then showed how many members of the family shared a common style, and that their mobility between different patrons effectively made nonsense of the existing system of categorising miniatures by courts and patrons. What was important, Goswamy showed, was not where a particular painting was produced, or who paid the bills, but instead which artist, or family of artists, was holding the brush. Court styles could vary hugely, depending on who was at work; but different families shared common techniques and stylistic idiosyncrasies.
After that Goswamy worked at reconstructing the lives first of the painters of the Punjab hills, and then of those working elsewhere in India. The culmination of his work was the Masters of Indian Painting show 10 years ago, which travelled from Zurich to New York and amounted to a dramatic re-evaluation of the human and biographical reality behind Indian painting. Then followed The Spirit of Indian Painting, a book that was in many ways the summation of Goswamy’s whole career, as he attempted to get inside the heads of those artists to understand what made them paint the way they did, how they came to choose their iconography and what were the daily circumstances of their lives.
What Goswamy achieved was no easy task. As he noted, we are dealing with “a world of silence in which one has to strain very hard to pick up whispers from the past… a layered world that does not reveal all its treasures immediately…. One has to fall back on one’s own resources [to deploy] the patience to piece things together, the willingness to construct a narrative, the imagination to flesh it out…. One needs to make an effort to receive from these paintings all the riches that reside within.”
But if we strain hard, he said, it is still possible to “feel the breath of those times — even if lightly — upon our skin,” and so gain access to the highest state of pure aesthetic pleasure — to experience what Indian aesthetic theory describes as romaharsha, meaning literally, “the hair on my body has become happy”.
Goswamy has now put down his pen forever. But those who read his work will still be able to follow him into the workshops of his painters as they collect their materials — brushes made from a single hair from a calf’s ear or a squirrel’s tail — or as they grind their pigments from Afghan lapis, a particular saffron derived from the flower of the palash tree or the gao-goli yellow, concocted from the urine of cows fed on mango leaves. Goswamy had no equal, but his legacy will live on to guide, instruct and teach those of us who attempt to stumble along in his footsteps.
William Dalrymple is a historian, art historian and curator. The views expressed are personal
Alona Norton-Westbrook and her team recognize their double duty at HoMA, the Honolulu Museum of Art: build upon the museum’s legacy while adapting to a rapidly changing world.
“As a nearly 100-year-old nonprofit, we have a special obligation, commitment and connection to the community that we have to constantly nurture and strengthen and grow in a continual way,” says Norton-Westbrook, who became HoMA’s director in January 2020 – two months before the Covid pandemic began.
“Coming out of the pandemic, there’s so much in our society that is being reorganized, renegotiated and reconsidered. So, the business model has to be somewhat flexible. You must have a structure, goals and direction, but you also must be responsive to the fact that this is a time of massive societal change.”
These days, the museum is open until 9 on Friday and Saturday evenings so more working people can visit. And HoMA brought back the Honolulu Surf Film Festival as a fully in-person event this year at its Doris Duke Theatre.
Attendance is up 70% from pre-pandemic numbers and museum engagement has increased four-fold compared with the 2021-22 fiscal year. That engagement includes more people participating in its Art School classes, in-museum activities, tours, workshops, online programs, Family Sunday storytelling and other programs.
Before the pandemic, more tourists than residents visited the museum. Now the ratio has switched, HoMA says.
Among the things that haven’t changed are HoMA’s showcasing exhibitions from local artists and reflecting the diversity of the Islands. Recently, the museum helped launch the careers of Native Hawaiian artist Noah Harders and Korean American artist Lauren Hana Chai, Norton-Westbrook says.
“I think we’re on a good trajectory but there’s always more that we can do, such as getting the word out about the museum and all the different things to see as well as intentionally building local relationships with individuals and organizations.”
She says audience feedback helps the museum understand how to explain and present the nuances and stories of its art in a way that connects to people’s personal experiences.
“The arts contribute to a holistic, fulfilling life. As humans we need time for reflection and appreciation of other cultures and viewpoints. We need time to experience beauty to heal and process things, and I think the museum plays a critical role in providing that space for people,” she says.
HoMA has been doing that since it opened to the public in 1927. Its main funding comes from admission fees, philanthropic donations and the museum’s endowment. Its biggest expense is its staff of 150 employees, whose knowledge and experience the museum depends upon, Norton-Westbrook says.
“Museums are both a business and a mission-driven organization. You can’t let one outweigh the other. There is also the balance of honoring the history but envisioning a further future. In that way this nonprofit is more complex than a for-profit company.”
Norton-Westbrook draws on her own experience and expertise to help lead HoMA. Before coming to Hawai‘i, she was director of curatorial affairs and curator of modern and contemporary art at the Toledo Museum of Art in Ohio. She holds a master’s degree in art history from Courtauld Institute of Art in London and a doctorate in museology from the University of Manchester.
One way people can support the museum is to spread the word, she says.
“It makes a huge difference to us when people bring their friends, tell their friends how much they love the museum, and become a member,” she says. “That really helps the entire operation and is meaningful to us in terms of keeping our nonprofit going and being here for another 100 years.”
The nature of a design studio is to create custom projects specific to their clients but Float Studio, a New York-based design practice, had a very unique task: designing Food52’s new headquarters. As a business, the community- and food-centric platform does it all, including testing every recipe, shooting its own photography, and curating hundreds of products for its online shop. Designing an office that offered a solution to all of Food52’s needs is no small feat but since the brand had been a client of Float Studio since day one, the designers had lots of background knowledge to work with.
Located at the Brooklyn Navy Yards’ Dock 72, the new space perfectly encapsulates Food52’s design sensibilities and community-centric ethos. With five test kitchens, a massive prop warehouse, and even a room just for storing the surfaces the team shoots on, the headquarters is a culmination of more than a decade of learning how Food52 works best, which, ultimately, means lots of flexible rooms and beautiful, homey touches. Just like how the kitchen is the heart of the home, this office is truly the heart of Food52.
The main challenge that Float Studio’s co-founders, Brad Sherman and Nina Etnier, faced was replicating the hospitable and intimate environment of Food52’s former (and smaller) office in the new 40,000 square foot space. To unify all the rooms, they chose a muted color palette that imbues a calming feel throughout. Custom furniture by Float Studio sit alongside products made in collaboration with Food52’s brand partners and online community.
A test kitchen allows employees to not only trial recipes but the cookwares and products that Food52 curates and sells. The Bertazzoni ovens, cooktops and dishwashers are made for the home, meaning they are not professional grade, so that the recipes can be more closely replicated by a home cook.
Behind the test kitchen is the company’s social and demo kitchen which more closely resembles a home kitchen and features a long sage green island with a tiled backsplash providing a backdrop for the open shelving.
The waiting room is lined with open shelving showcasing products by Food52, as well as Schoolhouse and Dansk (the two were acquired by the company in 2021). Two knitting chairs by Audo Copenhagen provide additional seating next to the sculptural Sideways Sofa by Carl Hansen & Søn.
The meeting rooms are named after each one’s specific color palette, like The Mush Room, Togarashi, Negroni, and Moon Pie.
The town hall space is equipped with, of course, another kitchen, a bar area, and plentiful seats and tables for all-hands meetings, events, and everyday work.
Employees can choose from a multitude of areas to work, including Uhuru workstations for heads down work to cozier seating areas for casual meetings.
Archival drawings of Dansk products are showcased on the gallery wall. A side table made by Float Studio offers the perfect amount of space for a laptop and drink.
Recent and vintage cookbooks are stored neatly next to a faux hearth that further creates the ambience of a home
Eight photo studios are separated by curtains allowing the production team to combine spaces if needed.
Food52’s cofounder Amanda Hesser’s office
The nonprofit global arts organization Sundance Institute and the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado announced today that the Stanley Hotel will host the Institute’s signature Directors Lab in 2024 with support from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT). For over four decades, Sundance Institute labs have brought together promising new independent storytellers with accomplished artists to develop new work and build a long-lasting, vibrant community.
The Directors Lab nurtures diverse, original voices through an immersive filmmaking experience over two to three weeks every summer. Connected to nature, the lab creates a safe, inclusive space for first-time feature directors to rehearse, shoot, and edit scenes that will build their skills working with actors, exploring text, and finding the visual language and aesthetic for their films.
For over 40 years, the Directors Lab has taken place in the founding location of the Sundance Resort in Utah. Next year, the lab will relocate to Colorado while construction in outdoor areas and primary shooting locations takes place to enhance the Sundance property.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to bring the Directors Lab to the Stanley Hotel in Colorado. In identifying a host for our Directors Lab, it was essential to find a space that was surrounded by nature for artists to create, had multiple environments for shooting, and could be an environment where artists could leave behind the distractions of everyday life and immerse themselves in their projects. We are deeply grateful to both the Stanley Hotel and the state of Colorado for welcoming the Directors Lab to Colorado,” said Michelle Satter, founding senior director of artist programs at Sundance Institute.
“We are pleased to welcome the Sundance Institute’s Directors Lab to Colorado in 2024. The Stanley Hotel and Estes Park will provide inspiring backdrops for this prestigious workshop and showcase the many resources our state offers the film industry, including the unparalleled natural beauty of filming locations,” said Colorado Film Commissioner Donald Zuckerman.
“The Stanley is very pleased to continue its long tradition of supporting the arts and honored to have Sundance and all of their creative partners here,” said John Cullen, owner of the iconic hotel since 1996. “I look forward to hosting and seeing what happens when hundreds of such talented people come together to the Colorado mountains to share their skills and experiences in such a collaborative environment.”
Sundance Institute Labs for emerging artists take place throughout the year at locations across the country. In addition to the Directors Lab at the Stanley Hotel, the following labs will take place in 2024: the January Screenwriters Lab and Episodic Lab at the Sundance Resort in Utah, the Native Lab in New Mexico, the Ignite Lab at MASS MoCA in Massachusetts, and the Producers Lab at UCross Foundation in Wyoming.
The Directors Lab is an essential component of the year-round Feature Film Program (FFP), which also includes the January Screenwriters Lab, March Screenwriters Intensive, June Screenwriters Lab, Producers Lab, and year-long fellowships, granting, and a continuum of customized support. The labs have supported many of the leading and award-winning artists who have defined the independent film ecosystem, including A.V. Rockwell (A Thousand and One), Charlotte Wells (Aftersun), Chloé Zhao (Songs My Brothers Taught Me), Sterlin Harjo (Four Sheets to the Wind), Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station), Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball), The Daniels (Swiss Army Man), Marielle Heller (The Diary of a Teenage Girl), Paul Thomas Anderson (Hard Eight), and Quentin Tarantino (Reservoir Dogs) among many others.
The Sundance Institute Feature Film Program is supported by explore.org, a direct charitable activity of the Annenberg Foundation; Alfred P. Sloan Foundation; The Asian American Foundation (TAAF); United Airlines; Hartbeat; The Walt Disney Company; Maja Kristin; Kimberly Steward—K Period Media; NBCUniversal; Golden Globe Foundation; Ray and Dagmar Dolby Fund; National Endowment for the Arts; NHK/NHK Enterprises, Inc.; Levantine Films; Max Rifkind-Barron; Directors Guild of America; T-Street Productions; Rosalie Swedlin and Robert Cort; Deborah Reinisch and Michael Theodore Fund; Octavia Spencer; Scott and Jennifer Frank.
NASHVILLE – Titans long snapper Morgan Cox has been nominated for the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.
The award is presented each year to an NFL player who best demonstrates the qualities of on-field sportsmanship, including fair play, respect for the game and opponents, and integrity in competition.
On Wednesday, the NFL announced the 32 player nominees for the ninth annual award. Each NFL team nominated one of its players for the award, which recognizes players around the league who exemplify outstanding sportsmanship on the field.
Created in 2014, the award honors the late founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Rooney Sr.
Cox, who played at the University of Tennessee, joined the Titans in 2021 after playing 11 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. The Collierville, Tenn., native has been named to five Pro Bowls, and he’s one of the team’s captains this season.
After every game, Cox identifies a player or two from the opposing team’s special teams unit, and he offers words of encouragement and support, while praising them for their work and commitment.
Cox also regularly brings together the two teams in postgame for an on-field prayer.
“I could not be more excited and prouder to hear that Morgan has been nominated for the Art Rooney award,” Titans special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman said. “Morgan has demonstrated excellence in competition and sportsmanship both on and off the field. His respect of the game and to his opponents is second to none. As a team captain, Morgan’s leadership qualities and willingness to mentor younger players have helped them achieve a high level of integrity to succeed in the National Football League.”
A panel of former players from the NFL Legends Community — Warrick Dunn, 2014 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award recipient Larry Fitzgerald, Pro Football Hall of Famer Curtis Martin and Leonard Wheeler — will select eight finalists (four in the AFC and four in the NFC) from the 32 nominees.
The eight finalists will be listed on the Pro Bowl ballot under the NFL Sportsmanship Award category when players vote in December.
“Sportsmanship is the core of the game, the vanguard of public confidence, the keeper of game integrity,” said Troy Vincent, NFL executive vice president of football operations. “These Rooney Sportsmanship Award nominees exemplify the spirit of fair play and the values of respect, integrity, commitment to team and resiliency at the highest level of competition.”
The winner of the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award is determined by a vote of current NFL players. From the eight finalists, each team’s players will submit a consensus vote of their choice for the winner. As in Pro Bowl voting, a team cannot vote for its own player.
The winner will be announced as part of NFL Honors. He will receive a $25,000 donation from the NFL Foundation to a charity of his choice.
“Retour à la Caverne – Acte I” (2023), Palais Garnier, Opéra de Paris. All images courtesy of Opéra de Paris
“Our role as artists is always to search for the light,” says French artist JR (previously) about the second act of his Retour à la Caverne project. “We know this much: You don’t chase away the darkness with more darkness. You chase it away with light, however tiny.”
The work he’s referring to, though, is far from tiny. Cloaking Paris’s Palais Garnier while the building is under construction, Retour à la Caverne is an enormous trompe l’oeil facade, the first part of which depicts a cave carved into the grand structure that houses the opera. Illuminated at the center, the temporary piece highlights the physical and metaphorical interactions between light and dark. Broken into two acts like an opera libretto, the work references Plato’s allegory that emerging from the depths of the cave, and from darkness, brings knowledge.
“Act I” debuted earlier this fall with four nights of projected works, while the second part was held on November 12. “Back in September, we invited you to step out of the cave to go and explore. This time, we’re inviting you back inside the cave,” JR said while introducing the work. Whereas “Act I” portrays the cavern gouged into the center of the building, “Act II” switches perspectives, placing the viewers entirely inside the space.
Titled “Chiroptera,” the performance featured choreography by Damien Jalet and music by Thomas Bangalter. More than 150 dancers appeared through an elevated seven-story scaffolding after an eerie introduction by ballerina Amandine Albisson, who appeared to open the cave, causing a plummet into darkness. As with many of JR’s works, the artist asked the crowd to participate by using headlamps and their phones to illuminate the remainder of the performance, revealing the ways light can emerge from collective action.
Watch the full performance below, and find more from JR on Instagram.
“Retour à la Caverne – Acte II” (2023), Palais Garnier, Opéra de Paris
“Retour à la Caverne – Acte II” (2023), Palais Garnier, Opéra de Paris
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article JR’s Dramatic Cave Intervention Emerges from the Center of the Palais Garnier in Paris appeared first on Colossal.
