JAIPUR: The Government of Rajasthan in collaboration with Saat Saath Arts will the launch of The Sculpture Park at Madhavendra Palace, Nahargarh Fort, Jaipur on December 10.
The Sculpture Park at Madhavendra Palace, Nahargarh Fort, aims to turn the palace into an art gallery with sculptures by top Indian and international artists displayed both in and outdoors.
The exhibition is curated by Peter Nagy, Director of Nature Morte Art Ltd., and is planned to be an annual fixture.
This partnership is a first of its kind where the government has collaborated with a range of corporate sponsors and private individuals to bring a contemporary edge to India’s heritage properties, with the purpose of boosting national and international cultural tourism and visitors to the site.
Many renowned international galleries have also come forward to support this initiative by lending the artworks including Hauser & Wirth, London, Salon 94, New York, Xavier Hufkens, Brussels, Sikkema Jenkins & Co., New York, Livingstone Gallery, The Hague.
Eminent individuals from leading corporations supporting the project include Shreyasi Goenka (Content Editor DNA & Co-Director, Saat Saath Arts), Nikhil Chaturvedi (Founder & Managing Director, Provogue) Pirojsha Godrej (Executive Chairman, Godrej Properties Ltd.), Shreevar Kheruka (CEO, Borosil Glass Works Ltd), Siddharth Jain (Owner and Director, INOX Group) Ashok Wadhwa (CEO, Ambit Pvt. Ltd.), Mayank Singhal (MD & CEO, PI Industries), and Ajay Kalsi (Founder and Chairman, Indus Gas).
For 2017, artworks by 17 Indian and 8 international artists have currently been selected to be exhibited at the Palace, including: Arman | Huma Bhabha | James Brown | Stephen Cox | Anita Dube | Vibha Galhotra | Vikram Goyal | Subodh Gupta | Evan Holloway | Matthew Day Jackson | Hans Josephsohn | Jitish Kallat | Reena Kallat | Bharti Kher | Mrinalini Mukherjee | Manish Nai | Gyan Panchal | Prashant Pandey | Benitha Perciyal | Thukral & Tagra | LN Tallur | Ravinder Reddy | Asim Waqif | Arlene Shechet.
All artworks for the exhibitions will be sensitively installed to ensure no damage or markings to any surface of the Palace.
“I believe art in its many forms, embraces and connects people from across continents and am therefore delighted that The Sculpture Park at Nahargarh fort, that stands above the city of JAIPUR looking out and beyond, will be the first permanent international art space in Rajasthan drawing people from far-flung parts of our State and the Indian sub-continent as well as from across the world, bringing them together to share and celebrate diverse international creative expressions,” said Vasundhara Raje, Chief Minister, Rajasthan.
“Our initiative aims to promote India’s growing interest in contemporary art and culture whilst also embracing its important heritage,”said Aparajita Jain, Founder & Director, Saat Saath Arts. “The Sculpture Park at Madhavendra Palace is a true amalgamation of the best of India’s past and present, made possible through a unique collaboration between the public and private sector. Saat Saath’s endeavour has always been to showcase India’s prowess in contemporary art, and to that end, we are thrilled to be able to bring this initiative to the public.”
“For most of my career as a gallerist and curator, I have been trying to break away from the white-box exhibition space,” Peter Nagy, Curator, The Sculpture Park at Madhavendra Palace, Nahargarh Fort. “With this project, I am able to indulge my passions for art, architecture and decor into a marvellous synthesis of the past and the present.”
“There have been some major initiatives to bring the public-private model into play in the larger arts Space in the state,” said Malvika Singh, Full-time member, Chief Minister’s Advisory Council (CMAC), Government of Rajasthan. “The Sculpture Park at Madhavendra Palace, Nahargarh Fort, is the first of its kind and like the other interventions will become a ‘must visit’ destination for all, but most importantly, for the contemporary art world. Free for the public, in public spaces, Jaipur is becoming a virtual museum celebrating the arts, generating pride and energising all who engage with the city.”
“The Sculpture Park at Madhavendra Palace, Nahargarh Fort, Jaipur will be the first of its kind where an Indian state has collaborated with a non-profit organisation to support contemporary art. We are thankful to the Government of Rajasthan for this alliance and are certain that it will set a great example on how imperative public-private partnerships
are in the promotion of public art. I am honoured to be a part of this initiative and thankful to everyone who is involved.” – Shreyasi Goenka, Content Editor DNA & Co-Director Saat Saath Arts.
Musafir Namah Bureau
