prasad1
Active member
In 2017, we were happy to hear about the plan to open new NGMA branches at Kolkata and in the North East; news of the expansion of this Mumbai venue was also heartening.
However on 13th November, 2018, another disastrous decision was apparently taken namely, ‘all future exhibitions of artworks not from NGMA’s own collection, would be allotted only 1/6th of the area in NGMA Mumbai restricting those only to the Dome area.’ Does that mean that the remaining area will never exhibit new artistes’ works or veteran artistes’ new works beyond NGMA’s own collection?
Commensurate with this new policy, the proposed retrospectives of Mehli Gobhai and Sudhir Patwardhan scheduled respectively in March-April and December 2019, were cancelled. We, therefore, ought to be grateful to the Almighty Ministry for not cancelling this retrospective as well. The sad fact is that we will be deprived of seeing 300 or more fascinating works of Mehli Gobhai who is no more with us! What a great tribute it could have been to the great Master! Sudhir, I am sorry, no matter how great an artist you are, your work and ideology is not liked nor approved by us!
Why are these unilateral decisions taken? What is the real intention behind such restrictions? Isn’t this another level of censorship on artistic freedom? Isn’t this yet another assault on the federal structure of this plural nation? The policy of diffusion and abortion of eclectic voices and artistic expression has muzzled yet another institution! This control over the NGMA which is the sacrosanct venue for artistic expression and viewing of diverse art, is the recent most casualty in this ‘war against humanities’ as someone recently put it! I am truly disturbed… where is it going to stop? This sea of freedom is receding day by day, gradually but incessantly… why are we silent about this?? What is more upsetting is that those privy to such unilateral orders did not speak out, protest or even question it!
What would Barve have done in this atmosphere? I am sure he would have shown us the hidden visible through the visible present. Sorry Jasel if I have violated the expected decorum of celebrations or inaugurations – but I believe in speaking out, hence this lingering sad note!
thewire.in
However on 13th November, 2018, another disastrous decision was apparently taken namely, ‘all future exhibitions of artworks not from NGMA’s own collection, would be allotted only 1/6th of the area in NGMA Mumbai restricting those only to the Dome area.’ Does that mean that the remaining area will never exhibit new artistes’ works or veteran artistes’ new works beyond NGMA’s own collection?
Commensurate with this new policy, the proposed retrospectives of Mehli Gobhai and Sudhir Patwardhan scheduled respectively in March-April and December 2019, were cancelled. We, therefore, ought to be grateful to the Almighty Ministry for not cancelling this retrospective as well. The sad fact is that we will be deprived of seeing 300 or more fascinating works of Mehli Gobhai who is no more with us! What a great tribute it could have been to the great Master! Sudhir, I am sorry, no matter how great an artist you are, your work and ideology is not liked nor approved by us!
Why are these unilateral decisions taken? What is the real intention behind such restrictions? Isn’t this another level of censorship on artistic freedom? Isn’t this yet another assault on the federal structure of this plural nation? The policy of diffusion and abortion of eclectic voices and artistic expression has muzzled yet another institution! This control over the NGMA which is the sacrosanct venue for artistic expression and viewing of diverse art, is the recent most casualty in this ‘war against humanities’ as someone recently put it! I am truly disturbed… where is it going to stop? This sea of freedom is receding day by day, gradually but incessantly… why are we silent about this?? What is more upsetting is that those privy to such unilateral orders did not speak out, protest or even question it!
What would Barve have done in this atmosphere? I am sure he would have shown us the hidden visible through the visible present. Sorry Jasel if I have violated the expected decorum of celebrations or inaugurations – but I believe in speaking out, hence this lingering sad note!
Full Text: Amol Palekar's Speech Criticising 'Loss of Independence' in Art
He said the dissolution of NGMA's advisory committee was unilateral and questioned the intention behind the move.
thewire.in
