30 artists, 60 works including 4 site-specific installations conceived for MAXXI Arte and a series of works exhibited here for the first time in all their monumentality.

MAXXI – National Museum of XXI Century Arts presents Indian Highway a major touring group show coproduced with the Serpentine Gallery in London and the Astrup Fearnley Museum in Oslo, organized in Rome by MAXXI Arte and curated by Julia Peyton-Jones, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Gunnar B. Kvaran and Giulia Ferracci (MAXXI Arte). On view 2 September 2011–29 January 2012.

INDIAN HIGHWAY—as the emblematic title/metaphor for the country and its dizzying race towards the future suggests—describes the economic boom, the technological development, the social transformations, the conflicts and the cohabitation of a millenary civilisation and a developing society, identity and modernity, countryside and cities in exponential growth. A 360° portrait of the sub-continent and its “miracle”, interpreted through the penetrating, acute and profound eyes of 30 artists.

The exhibition can essentially be divided into three macro areas:

Indian Identity and Histories: investigates political, social and religious themes such as the war between India and Pakistan, the religious struggles, the transience of the national borders.

Exploding metropolises: examines urban expansion and chaos and the abandonment of the rural areas.

Contemporary Tradition: explores the revisiting of ancient forms of expression from Indian culture such as miniatures, ceramics and ink paintings.

www.fondazionemaxxi.it

Image: Jitish Kallat, “Baggage Claim,” 2010, (detail).
Courtesy the Artist and ARNDT, Berlin/Photo Iris Dreams, Mumbai.

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