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Journalism of Courage
The human body has served as the greatest muse, ever. Artists, through millenniums, have been obsessed with its representation, direct or suggested. And this image of man 8212; set in stone, painted on porcelain or lent to a shapely bracelet is the theme of an exhibition organised by the British Council in celebration of India8217;s 50th year of Independence. Titled Enduring Image, it took almost as much effort to put up as the Head of Amenophis III 8212; the most catching exhibit 8212; might have taken some 3,000 years ago to install.
The exhibition, which opens today, brings 332 artefacts from the collection of the British Museum 8212; quot;Rare treasures which were known to us only through the pages of textbooks,quot; says Dr Saryu Doshi, honorary director of the National Gallery of Modern Art NGMA, where the exhibition is being hosted. Slices from 11 civilisations 8212; Egypt, Japan, China, India, West Asia, Greece, Rome, Europe from pre-history to medieval times, sub-Saharan Africa and pre-Columbian America 8212; make upthe collection. The planning for this mega-show started three years ago and it took hundreds of people to get the exhibition down. After a three-month showing at Delhi8217;s NGMA, Enduring Images has come to Mumbai for the same period. Richard Blurton, the curator, who is also the assistant keeper Oriental Antiquities, says that it is the biggest loan in the history of the British Museum. quot;It is a representative collection from the various departments of the museum and 1/8th of it is Indian,quot; he says.
With the crowds in Delhi swelling to more than a 1,000 a day 8212; Karanjkar8217;s men will be on their toes through the exhibition. But that is exactly what the British Council wants. The entrance is free and along with explanations in Hindi and English next to each exhibit, there will be guides to take visitors around. Also 20 audiocassettes with earphones have been arranged. quot;We want to keep it as non-elitist as possible,quot; says Robert Frost, director, West India, British Council.
The focus group though is school children. Educational material has already been sent to school teachers and many schools will be bringing their students to view this exhibition. Satellite activities such as talks, workshops, lectures and seminars on various Indian arts and crafts, poetry, literature and so on have been arranged throughout the period of the exhibition. Says Badri Narayan, painter, who will host a workshop on myth, storytelling and painting for families in March, quot;These artefacts are connected with myths and images which lead to painting and storytelling. It is very good that children specially will get a chance to see this exhibition.quot; Vikas Dilawari, who will conduct an open-air bus tour of heritage buildings in Fort agrees with that, quot;I think this will be one of the biggest events of the year.quot;
But among all the hype, there seems to be adichotomy of purpose in the exhibition 8212; these artefacts, most centuries old, are being shown at the museum of modern art. Doshi brushes aside the question saying that it is the thought which build these treasures that counts, quot;These are visions of excellence expressed through art forms and modern thinking is also the same. Why compartmentalise them as modern or ancient?quot;
But amidst all the discussion 8212; a simple fact remains 8212; this is an exhibition to be seen, not talked about.
At the NGMA, CJ Hall, Kala Ghoda till May 03, 1998. Time: 10.00 am to 5.00 pm.
