Abstract art is a term broadly applied to forms of art that do not attempt to represent the visible world. Central to Abstract art is the idea that a work of art possesses its own “selfconsistent and independent aesthetic unity”, rather than functioning as a direct reflection or imitation of an external reality. The emergence of abstraction marked a decisive shift in Modern art, foregrounding form, colour, line, and composition as independent subjects of artistic inquiry. The Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky is widely credited as being one of the pioneers of the movement. During the decade between 1910 and 1920, several influential artistic movements—including Cubism, Suprematism, and De Stijl—either developed new abstract languages or actively embraced abstraction as a core principle. Abstract art in India evolved through a complex and expansive field of influences. Artists such as V. S. Gaitonde, S. H. Raza, Ram Kumar, Nasreen Mohamedi, Zarina Hashmi, Jeram Patel, Shanti Dave, and many others have been widely recognised for shaping its depth, rigor, and enduring relevance within the paradigm of Modern Indian art.

Read—Inventing Abstraction, 1910-1925: How a Radical Idea Changed Modern Art by Leah Dickerman