Osian's Auction Catalogue Indian Antiquities Modern Contemporary Fine Arts and Books | April 2017

A Very Important Painting from the History of Indian Modernism & the Iconic Words and Symbols Series. 59 K.C.S. Paniker 1911-1977 Words and Symbols Series Oil on canvas pasted on board, 1964 Signed in English ‘Paniker’ l.r. 66.4 x 39.7 in (168.6 x 100.8 cm) Provenance Private Chennai-based Family Collection; previously acquired from eminent arts patron and Founder of the Sarala Art Centre, Soli Daruwalla in 1997. Illustrative Reference Full colour illustration rpt. in [Goldscheider, Ludwig; James, Josef; Brown, Rebecca (Text) and Lockwood, Michael (Photographs) by]. Paniker . Chennai: Artworld 2016. pp.135 The painting lot 59 has been given incorrect size in this publication. INR 16,000,000 – 24,000,000 USD 238,810 – 358,210 Full image on p. 129 “The series known as ‘Words and Symbols’ done during early and mid sixties, are essentially linear and inspired by indigenous manuscript layouts. Horizontally and vertically aligned patches of browns or ochres are filled with graffiti emulating diagrams and textural areas. What look like textural passages are actually simulated written script in undecipherable alphabets adding an element of surprise to the total effect. The wiry taut lines of the drawings and symbols share the calligraphic quality, and in the words of the artist ‘the line follows the laws of continuity and free manual rhythm of action.’ That is why the written word fascinates the artist.” – Ratan Parimoo rpt. in Studies in Modern Indian Art , Kanak Publications, 1975, p. 78. “Paniker proceeded to test his drawing by denying it the convenience of the image. If one is to rely on images, as one conventionally does, for making the lines of one’s drawing to cohere, drawing becomes something to which a thing otherwise known can be reduced to. Paniker in his ‘Words and Symbol’ pictures reversed this role and attempted with his drawing to bring into being unknown bodies and substances…That made an entirely new paradigm in art. This series of pictures makes it reasonable to believe that there exists a drawing which can do away with the image completely and yet have an enormous capacity for detail” – Josef James rpt. in ‘K. C. S. Paniker’ , LKC 22, September 1976, p. 11. Also to be noted in this regard is the fact that Ajit Mukherji’s book (Tantric Art) was also published in 1967, and the Tantric trend in Indian painting had already begun – consider Biren De and G. R. Santosh’s work of the early 60s, formation of ‘Group 1890’ in 1962 with their focus being on contemplating the image, the shift in Swaminathan’s vocabulary to motifs and tribal symbols. Elaborating on the art scene of the 1960s, Geeta Kapur writes, “the first step into magical imagery, a constellation was set up where the occult, the erotic and the mystical became the shifting transposable circles of art now self consciously Indian. With K. C. S. Paniker the occult element was marginal, the motifs were freely, humorously mixed with quasi-religious, even hocus pocus symbols scribbled like graffiti in India.” – Geeta Kapur rpt. in Contemporary Indian Art, ExC, Festival of India , U.K., 1982, p. 7. 126 | Osian’s–Connoisseurs of Art