India is spreading its wings and expanding its influence in both directions. On the cultural front, there are now art endeavors in both the Gulf States and Singapore highlighting Indian painters. Here’s a report from Thaindian News about a cultural exchange with Kuwait:

India’s soft power in the Gulf region, which is reflected in its 4.5 million Indian diaspora and the huge popularity of Indian films, is set to be in spotlight when it hosts a mini-cultural festival in Kuwait later this year. The two countries signed three agreements in areas of culture, education and science and technology. The cultural agreement has a broad canvas that includes participation in art exhibitions and book fairs and an exchange of library and art experts, scholars, and archaeologists between the two countries.

Meanwhile, India’s Economic Times reports on the growing number of Indian art galleries in Singapore by talking to Kwok Kian Chow, director of the Singapore Art Museum:

“There are more and more galleries stocking and offering Indian art in Singapore. The Singapore Tyler Print Institute (STPI) has also invited contemporary Indian artists to work with them. SAM has also worked with various Indian institutions and collections to present shows on Indian art or exhibitions which incorporate Indian art under larger thematics,” Mr Chow said in an email from Singapore.

The base of Indian art galleries in Singapore is expanding. There are a number of outstanding Indian art galleries in Singapore, Chow said. These include Gajah Gallery, Bodhi Art, Indigo Blue Art, The Gallery of Gnani Arts and Art Mosaic Gallery.

SAM, which harbours a repository of 7,000 works, sports in its collection 70 Indian paintings including those by Jogen Chowdhury, Sunil Das, Arpana Caur and Jamini Roy.

Despite the tremendous growth in Asian art prices in recent years, Indian artworks could still be much lower from the international perspective. “It is quite relative. Both Chinese and Indian art prices have increased fantastically at auctions over the last few years. However, it is true they have yet to reach the levels of some Western artists. This is to be expected as a large proportion of the art market is still centred in the US and Europe.”

Indian Cultural Fest in Kuwait on the Way(Thaindian News)
Indian Art Adds Diversity to Asian Art Scene (Economic Times)