Delhi and the national Capital Region catapult into chaos as traffic goes berserk with jams that last for hours at end, courtesy of the heavy monsoon. Rampant downpours and water logging notwithstanding. Almost as if the heavens mourn the loss of legendry artist S H Raza and the veteran writer & activist Mahasweta Devi.
The Louvre Museum in Paris closed for visitors from 2 June to June 7 due to the threat of flooding from the Seine River, which it borders. It has had an official flood plan in place since 2002, which includes evacuating works from the reserves of around 250,000 stored underground, and according to a museum statement, staff began moving works on higher floors on 2 June. Back at home in April in Delhi, a massive fire overnight completely destroyed the iconic National Museum of Natural History in Delhi, destroying rare specimen of flora and fauna. The fire broke out at night on the top floor of the building that houses the museum, and quickly spread to all six floors. The sprinklers and water pumps in the building failed to work. Our country boasts of a rich cultural and artistic heritage, we need to take our museums far more seriously if we hope to preserve the reminisces of that glorious past.
This issue we look at what is going on in museums around the world and back at home, they truly deserve a reverenced position as they are the preservers of our culture and history for posterity. Dr. Raj Kumar Mazinder describes his visit to the Louvre and the viewing of the masterpiece Mona Lisa perhaps the most known art work in the world.
Heta Pandit informs us of the dying folk tradition of the KAAVI, a ritualistic art form of Goa. This absolutely exquisite art form is considered sacred and is known by the name of Kaavi or kao (colloquial) throughout Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka. Anubhav Gallery, National Museum have made a difference by making the artwork perceivable to the vision impaired through touch and sound narrative, Apurva Sinha takes us on a sensory tour.
Uma Nair explores Divine Pleasures: an exhibition of 17th-19th Century Miniatures at the Met Museum, New York. Part of the Kronos Collection curated by the one who has gifted them to the Met museum. Lina Vincent Sunish in discourse with Anil Relia discovers his amazing journey which led to his admirable collection of Indian portraiture, the only one of its kind in India. Dhiraj Choudhury looks back at his year spent travelling and exhibiting through Europe and U.S.A. Edward Lucie-Smith elucidates the melodious art of Najmi Sura, we also bring you exhibition reviews from around the country. Your feedback is important, write to us at art&deal@gmail.com
Happy Reading.
Siddhartha Tagore
