Who is related to the group '1890'?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 2:
Himmat Shah was a key founding member of the Indian artists' collective known as Group 1890. This short-lived but highly influential group was established in 1962 by J. Swaminathan and a dozen other artists who sought to create a uniquely Indian form of modernism, rejecting both the revivalist sentiment of the Bengal School and the derivative modernism of the Progressive Artists' Group. Shah's sculptural work, particularly his iconic heads and terracotta reliefs, embodied the group's philosophical stance, which was articulated in their manifesto before their first and only exhibition in 1963. His rigorous exploration of form and materiality in sculpture aligned perfectly with the group's commitment to pure artistic form, independent of narrative or political pressures.

The incorrect option is 1:
Satish Gujral was a highly respected and versatile modernist artist, celebrated for his powerful paintings, murals, and architectural design. However, he was not affiliated with Group 1890. Gujral's artistic base was primarily in Delhi, and he was more closely associated with the Delhi Silpi Chakra, an art group founded in 1949. His early works often reflected the trauma of the Partition, and his style was characterised by expressive, emotional intensity, which distinguished his trajectory from the formal, abstract-leaning manifesto that defined the Group 1890 collective.

The incorrect option is 3:
Usha Rani Hooja is a noted contemporary Indian sculptor, renowned for her monumental, public-facing works in bronze and metal. Her career gained prominence in the decades following the establishment of Group 1890. She is widely recognised for her contributions to contemporary sculpture and public art installations, but she was not among the twelve male artists who formed the 'Group 1890' collective in Bhavnagar in 1962. Therefore, her body of work and institutional history are separate from this specific early 1960s modernist group.

The incorrect option is 4:
Yamini Roy, or Jamini Roy, was a towering figure in the early phase of modern Indian art, but she predates Group 1890. She was a contemporary of the Bengal School and is celebrated for transitioning from Western academic art to a style profoundly influenced by indigenous Bengali folk painting, such as the Kalighat tradition. Her artistic output was focused on crafting a nationalist identity in art through folk roots, a movement which had already peaked before the formation of Group 1890. Her life and work belonged to an earlier period in the development of Indian modernism.