Often under-represented in museums and institutes in India itself, there has been a growing international interest in contemporary art from India in recent years.

“The Empire Strikes Back” brings together 26 Indian artists, the majority of whom have not previously had their work shown in the UK. T.V.

Santosh, Subodh Gupta and Jitish Kallat (pictured, Public Notice 2, 2007) among others, have all achieved widespread recognition following high profile exhibitions.

This, in turn has allowed commercial galleries in cities such as Delhi and Mumbai to prosper, opening up secondary spaces in Europe and the US, allowing greater access for collectors.

Work on view in “The Empire Strikes Back”, from artists including Tallur L.N, Bharti Kher, Shezad Dawood as well as Santosh, Gupta and Kallat, often examines the effects of the country’s continuing economic evolution and political unrest.

The recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai inspired a number of works included in the exhibition, while topics such as the legacy of the Raj era and Ghandi’s attempt to create a society free from religious conflict are also touched upon.

Another focus is the effect of the country’s continuing urban expansion and development, and the resulting effects on social cohesion.

Installation, painting, sculpture, film and video pieces are all included in the exhibition and, along with the more high profile artists listed, there is work from a number of young and emerging practitioners.

Twenty-eight-year-old T. Ven­kanna, who has had group and solo shows in Mumbai and Baroda, uses almost Dalí-esque compositions in his oil paintings, juxtaposing religious and political references, while Hema Upadhyay examines socio-political inequality through her photography and installation. The involvement of Phillips de Pury as the exhibition’s principal sponsor verifies the strength and commercial relevance of contemporary Indian art in today’s art market. William Oliver Categories: Contemporary (1970-present)