Mumbai chips in, Jehangir gallery to get a fresh coat

As part of its Golden Jubilee celebrations (which started in Jan 2002), the gallery set itself a target of raising a corpus fund of Rs 1.25 crore, 50 per cent of which it has raised till now.

For the rest, the gallery has initiated a donor programme linked to a commemorative exhibition called the Legacy of Art III (Dec 14-18).

Anupa Mehta, a member of the Golden Jubilee Sub-Committee, also overseeing the fund-raising, says, ‘‘We have appealed to art collectors, philanthropists and corporates to participate. We need 12 individuals or four corporates to come forward. So far one individual has confirmed a donation of Rs 5 lakh.’’

Established in 1952 at the initiative of Sir Cowasji Jehangir, the gallery, a non-profit body, has served the art fraternity for the last 50 years.

An unwritten rule in the art world goes: ‘‘If you are an artist and you haven’t exhibited at the Jehangir, you haven’t arrived.’’ There’s such a rush to display works at the gallery that applicants have to wait for over three years for their turn.

‘‘We want to make it a state-of-the-art gallery with an AC auditorium and add facilities like a graphic studio, a technical service cell, a better library,’’ says chairman Adi Jehangir.

The artist community sees this drive as ‘‘a much-needed initiative.’’ Senior artist Jehangir Sabavala, who held an exhibition at the gallery in February this year, says, ‘‘This gallery doesn’t discriminate against any artists. It certainly needs money to be on par with modern art galleries in the West.’’

Art enthusiasts have responded positively. Roohi Jaikishen, for example, has already consented to donate. ‘‘It houses and nurtures wonderful works of art. It forms an important fabric of Mumbai. I have agreed to be part of the initiative,’’ says Kishen.

Every individual donor who donates Rs 5 lakh will be felicitated, mentioned on permanent metal plaque at the venue and paintings from their personal collections included in the Legacy of Art.

Dilip De, another member of the Golden Jubilee Sub-Committee, raves: ‘‘The gallery is a unique public institution which needs support from one and all. If Tyeb Mehta’s triptych fetched him Rs 1.6 crore at the Christie’s auction recently, he started his journey at the Jehangir years ago.’’