The Progressive Artists’ Group or the Bombay Progressive Artists’ Group was a group of radical artists formed in Bombay during the time of the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947. The group lacked a distinct style that originated from themselves but their aspirations were as grand as the major art movements before the partition such as the Bengal School and the British School.
Background
The group was formed by six artists, F.N. Souza, M.F. Hussain, H.A. Gade, S.H. Raza, K.H. Ara, and finally, S.K. Bakre, who was the only sculptor of the group. The group’s intention was to develop an entirely new standard for art in modern India, one which allowed them to be free and unrestrained in regard to both the content and technique of creating art. Other than a few eternal and elemental laws of color composition, plastic coordination, and aesthetic order, the group was almost anarchic in expressing themselves.
Later on, Vasudeo Gaitonde, Mohan Samant, Krishen Khanna, and Bhanu Athaiya joined the group as well, adding to the style and content of the artwork that the group produced. However, as Souza and Raza left both the group and India, followed by S.K. Bakre leaving the group as well, the group disbanded in 1956.
Purpose and Philosophy
In fact, the Progressive Artists’ Group(PAG) could be said to have originated in reaction to the revivalist nationalism promoted by the Bengal School. They wanted to stimulate the development of an Indian Avant-Garde art movement that featured a blend of art styles influential throughout the history of Indian art together with the major art movements and themes prevalent in the western hemisphere in the 19th Century and the first half of the 20th century.
These movements included Cubism, Post-impressionism, and Expressionism. The goal was to create a synthesis of art that allowed Indian artists to gain recognition on a global scale while allowing the culture and art history of the nation to be amalgamated and represented together with the sensibilities of contemporary Indian artists and audiences.
As a group formed merely months after the partition, the major tragic event was a great influence on the artworks of these artists.
Styles
Although the influence of European Modernism was apparent on the group, the styles of the members were very different from each other. This included Souza, who made expressionist works such as “Birth”, and Gaitonde, who made pure abstract works. Mehta and Hussain, on the other hand, were more famous for their adaption of the Indian landscape and imagery in their works.
