MANDARINS OF CULTURE MUST BE CUSTODIANS
The NGMA show ‘Itihaas’ held last month reflected an interesting array of archival information about the Ministry of Culture and institutions like the Lalit Kala Akademi. India’s first Minister of Culture was the cerebral genius Humayun Kabir from Bengal – the poet, the philosopher, the philanthropist, the educationist and a man of immense vision.
March 29, 1954 became a day of epic proportions. Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, India’s Vice President inaugurated the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) Jaipur House with an exhibition of contemporary sculptures along with Humayun Kabir. At the inauguration Radhakrishnan stated that great works of art were created only in such periods when people were moved by deep faith. Radhakrishnan who would become India’s President, the scholar and commentator of the Bhagvad Gita was referring to the faith in the service of man.
At this historic debut Humayun Kabir the scholar and visionary said, “Delhi could not establish its claim as a metropolitan city till it had national galleries of art, museums, theatre and libraries.”
Institutions that come under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture are the foundation of the genesis of a vision of selfless service for the art. Collections in both the NGMA and Lalit Kala Akademi collections distill the loftiest truths of India’s artistic forays into simple, modernist creations.
But institutions need the support of collections and collectors and treasure troves that offer aesthetic and historical satisfactions in this modern millennium. Like the Metropolitan Museum, MOMA in America, Louvre and Tate and other European Museums, the NGMA too needs collections that are bequeathed by distinguished collectors with the faith that collections will be looked after and kept alive with rotational exhibitions rather than kept in stores like fossils. Great artists like Pablo Picasso could gift his works to Museums only because they inspired faith for protecting and cherishing a priceless legacy.
The NGMA and lalit Kala Akademi Archives is an endless contemplation of the human condition and those who serve in the Ministry of Culture and allied institutions must ensure that foundations of distinction and integrity define the fountain head of Indian contemporary art. It is because of that vision a seminal work like Shantiniketan by Tyeb Mehta today belongs to the NGMA. Public trust and support is vital.
Building collections with works of worth and merit express the revelation that we are architects of imagination – and that through art, we can discover new possibilities of both mind and spirit. And young penniless artists with lots of talent need to be identified encouraged and helped.
The greatest service to young artists has been the Ministry’s fellowship. National Award winner Abhijit Pathak who has received the Culture fellowship twice swears by the support that has helped his struggling years. Senior artists who serve in any body or committee in the Ministry of Culture must reflect the spirit of service and generosity and mandarins of culture must know they are custodians of the country’s artistic wealth.