March 30, 2020
Due to the 21-day lockdown, while museums are closed for public access, art lovers can continue to pursue their interest with this move by the NGMA
The DG, NGMA, said that the sculptures, paintings, and prints in the visual tour showcase the hidden treasures of the NGMA’s reserve collection
The NGMA is presenting this visual tour as a tribute to modern masters of art, and to generate greater interest among people towards the legacy of art in India
The Ministry of Culture has taken various measures to classify and promote Indian performing and literary arts by compiling data on artists, art forms and geo-locations
On March 29, 2020, the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) celebrated its 66th Foundation Day by launching a virtual tour of its collection for the first time. India has been on an unprecedented 45-day lockdown to contain the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Under the circumstances, while essential services continue to operate as usual, institutions such as museums and libraries under the Ministry of Culture have been closed. However, with this move by the NGMA, art lovers can continue to pursue their interest in the field.
In an official statement, the Director-General, NGMA, Shri Adwaita Gadanayak, said that the sculptures, paintings, and prints in the visual tour are a step to showcase the hidden treasures of the NGMA’s reserve collection. He added that the NGMA is presenting this visual tour as a tribute to our modern masters, and firmly believes that this would generate greater interest among people towards the legacy of art in the country. NGMA’s collection includes works by the likes of Maqbool Fida Husain, Tyeb Mehta, Amrita Sher-Gil, among others.
Even before the lockdown, the Ministry of Culture was taking various measures to classify and promote Indian performing and literary arts all over the world. Set up in 2017, the National Mission on Cultural Mapping (NMCM) is compiling data on artists, art forms, and geo-locations with inputs from Central Ministries, State Governments, and art and culture bodies. These efforts are sure to help foreign nationals understand Indian culture better, and will go a long way in forging bilateral partnerships on the cultural front and beyond.
Art lovers can access the virtual tour at the given link: www.ngmaindia.gov.in