Fine Arts · Class 9

Active learning ideas

Modernism in India: Progressive Artists Group

Active learning helps students grasp Modernism in India because this movement was about action, not just observation. By engaging with materials directly, students experience how artists like Husain or Raza questioned and reshaped their practice, making the historical shift tangible and personal.

• CBSE Learning Outcomes
• CBSE: Modern Indian Art - Evolution and Pioneers - Class 9

• 30–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Inquiry Circle
• 50 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Abstraction Challenge

Give groups a 'traditional' image (like a village scene). They must 'modernize' it in three steps: first, simplify the shapes; second, use 'unnatural' bold colors; third, turn it into a pure abstract composition of lines and emotions. They then explain their 'journey' to the class.

How did Indian artists redefine 'modern' while staying connected to their roots?

Facilitation Tip

During the Collaborative Investigation, give groups a set of Husain’s early sketches alongside his abstract works to show the deliberate journey from realism to abstraction.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'If an abstract painting doesn't look like a real object, how can it still communicate an idea or feeling about India after Independence?' Facilitate a class discussion, encouraging students to reference specific artworks and concepts like 'Indianness'.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Think-Pair-Share
• 30 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: What is 'Indian' Art?

Show a painting by S.H. Raza (like a 'Bindu') and a traditional folk painting. Students think about what makes both of them 'Indian', pair up to discuss if an artist *must* use traditional symbols to be Indian, and share their conclusions with the class.

What makes an abstract painting 'successful' if it doesn't look like real objects?

Facilitation Tip

For the Think-Pair-Share activity, provide printed reproductions of both traditional and modern artworks to anchor the discussion in visible differences.

What to look for

Provide students with images of two artworks: one by a traditional Indian artist and one by a Progressive Artists Group member. Ask them to write down three distinct visual differences and one similarity they observe, focusing on technique and subject matter.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Gallery Walk
• 35 min · Pairs

Gallery Walk: The Progressive Artists

Place 'manifestos' or quotes from PAG artists alongside their works. Students walk around in pairs to match the quote to the painting, discussing how the artist's personal history (religion, city life, travels) influenced their 'modern' style.

Analyze how social and political changes in post-independence India influenced art movements.

Facilitation Tip

In the Gallery Walk, place the artworks chronologically to help students track the evolution of styles and themes over time.

What to look for

Ask students to name one artist from the Progressive Artists Group and describe in one sentence how their work represented a 'shift' from earlier Indian art styles. They should also write one word that describes the overall mood or theme of the artwork they choose.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teaching Modernism in India works best when you balance historical context with hands-on engagement. Avoid long lectures about ‘isms’—instead, let students discover the ‘why’ through close looking and discussion. Research shows that when students analyze art through the lens of social change, they retain connections between technique, subject, and historical moment more deeply.

By the end of these activities, students should confidently explain how the Progressive Artists Group redefined Indian art and justify their choices using specific visual evidence. They should also recognize how technique and subject matter worked together to communicate ideas about post-Independence India.

---

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Collaborative Investigation, watch for students dismissing abstract art as 'messy' or 'easy'.

  Have groups examine Husain’s early realistic sketches first, then compare them to his abstract works. Ask them to trace how each line or color choice in the abstraction distills meaning from the realistic version, making the purpose of abstraction clear.

• During the Think-Pair-Share activity, watch for students assuming modern Indian art is just a copy of Western styles.

  Provide both Western abstract art and Indian modern works side by side. Ask students to highlight elements in the Indian pieces that reference Indian mythology, rural life, or post-1947 social issues, proving the ‘hidden Indian roots’ in modern techniques.

---

Methods used in this brief

• Inquiry Circle
• Think-Pair-Share
• Gallery Walk