Art Some is a veritable art school with a mission to educate. But what sets it apart is not just a list of artists, but the fact that each section deals with art and allied art forms in a very simple and concise manner. The website prides itself on being a specialist in modern contemporary art and South Asian art. It also gives a comprehensive list of art ‘jargon’ to demystify art concepts.

Indian art dates back to the centuries-old Harappan civilisation. And Contemporary Indian art is an amalgamation of not just artistic sensibilities but myriad historic influences as well. Figurative sculptures feature prominently on the Indian art map during the conquests of Alexander the Great and continued through the reign of the Guptas. With the coming of the Mughals, there was a perceptible influence of elements from Islamic art and architecture. Persian style miniature paintings also became popular during this time; the most notable being the Mughal, Rajput, Pahari and Deccani court styles. This was also the time when erotic paintings became predominant as illustrations from the Kamasutra started appearing. The British era was instrumental in infusing individualism in art practice.

Indian art witnessed a decadence tin the nineteenth century but was revived in the last part of the twentieth. Gaganendranath and Abanindranath Tagore spearheaded this Renaissance of Indian art through different schools of art. Contemporary Indian art refers to the period after 1985; enriched by India’s variegated mosaic of culture, mythology, and folk traditions of India, as well as the heritage of the miniature paintings of Mughals. However, with disappearing borders and globalised economy, even distinctions in media have blurred. Indian Contemporary artist has transcended all barriers using installations, sculptures, oil paintings on canvas, digital photography, terracotta and even kinetic assemblages to experiment and express.

The five ‘greats’ of Indian abstract art are S. H. Raza, Ram Kumar, Tyeb Mehta, M. F. Husain and Prabhakar Kolte – stalwarts who have become household names with their modern paintings; and made Indian art fashionable. Art curators and collectors covet their abstract paintings.

Modern abstract paintings apart, digital photography too has made its way into Indian contemporary abstract art. Art Some features celebrated Indian modern artists who have created ripples with their outstanding work in specialised genres of digital photography- Pablo Bartholomew in disaster photography and Hetain Patel in performance photography.