'Art Beat' in Delhi and 'Art Attack' in Mumbai?

Art Beat in Delhi and Art Attack in Mumbai?

"Stop, Indians ahead"

 The grand success of the third India Art summit in Pragati Maidan Delhi raises a question as to  why such mega events are not happening in Mumbai, which was supposed to be the art capital of India, a decade ago. Has Mumbai lost its thriving Art capital status to the Capital of India?

Here are some excerpts from a noteworthy   article from Bombay Times of today, on this subject:

• While in Mumbai art is found only in traditional galleries and exhibition halls, Delhi has art in malls and even in night clubs!
• Mumbai has no art event close to the scale of Art Summit of Delhi which attracted 1,28,000 visitors over four days. The works of 500 Indian Modern and contemporary artists were showcased in 84 galleries.
• Number of art galleries is more in Delhi and it is geographically wide spread across the entire city. Whereas in Mumbai the galleries are concentrated only in South Mumbai. “Delhi is more open to public installations, which Mumbai does not permit. The NGMA in Delhi is active and doing greater shows, but the one in Mumbai is pathetic. During the Art Summit in Delhi, the entire Government machinery gets involved. The Mumbai art fair gets no such support from the Government” says Mumbai-based gallery owner  Pravina Mecklai
• Exploring new avenues for art proves to be successful for Delhi, whereas it is not working in Mumbai. Kiran Nadar the wife of Siva nadir has opened the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in a mall. “to bring visibility and appreciation t art”.
• Mithu basu of Dolna Art Gallery explains “I tried to have an art event along with a fashion week and tied up with MCEA club to host art events, but exploring nontraditional spaces in Mumbai isn’t easy”
• Delhi is showing creativity in spaces where art is exhibited. The capital’s corporate art lovers, industrialists and hoteliers are indulging in new creative projects and redefining art spaces.
• “Lado Sara in Delhi is coming up as art hub while Jamia is coming up with Hussain gallery. However Mumbai’s Bhau Daji Lad museum has also started doing some interesting work. I think it will be interesting to see where the two cities go from here” – Peter Nagy of Nature Morte gallery Delhi.

 Courtesy: intach.org

"Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Mumbai :  INTACH won the Award of Excellence in the UNESCO 2005 Asia Pacific Heritage Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation for the restoration of Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum. Opened in 1872, it is the oldest museum in Mumbai and documents the city’s history and diverse cultural heritage"

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