NEW DELHI: The selected artefacts of iconic ‘Maharaja Collection’ owned by Air India will be displayed at National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in the national capital soon. To ensure smooth shifting of precious art collection of the erstwhile national carrier of the country, which has been taken over by the Tata Group, the culture ministry on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and the Gallery with the airline.
The Gallery will get more than 4,000 artefacts including an ashtray designed by renowned Spanish artist Salvador Dali and artworks by noted painters including MF Husain, VS Gaitonde, Anjolie Ela Menon, Jatin Das, and SH Raza.
Once the process is completed, selected artistic treasure will be exhibited at the Gallery, said union culture minister G Kishan Reddy, who along with civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, attended the MoU signing ceremony held at NGMA lawn. The secretaries of the ministries and representatives of Air India and NGMA signed the pact in the presence of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Campbell Wilson.
Reddy said that transfer of artefacts is a milestone in the journey of NGMA which has been acquiring and conserving artworks since 1953.
During its extensive journey over eighty years of operating as a commercial airline, Air India had acquired and collected a massive number of valuable artworks from around the world consisting of paintings, sculptures, wooden carvings, glass paintings, decorative items, textile art, and photographs.
These properties including other memorabilia such as menu cards for former presidents and prime ministers on their travels are presently kept in the Air India building at Nariman Point in south Mumbai.
Following the sale of the airline to the Tata Group, the Government decided to retain the artefacts, which were adorning Air India offices in the country and abroad.
Speaking on the occasion, Scindia exuded confidence that art collections belonging to Air India would spread awareness about Indian culture worldwide. He suggested instead of exhibition of selected artefacts, the NGMA should exhibit maximum collection on rotation basis. “The exhibition of the art pieces should not be confined to Delhi only but should be taken worldwide as well as in various parts of the country, showcasing Indian rich cultural heritage and soft power,” he Scindia added.
We will now begin assessment and cataloguing of the artefacts, Temsunaro Tripathi, director of the NGMA. “After proper assessment, the artwork will be brought to the Gallery in batches and suitably conserved or restored if required,” she said.