Founded on February 2, 1814, by the Asiatic Society of Bengal, the Indian Museum holds the distinction of being the oldest and largest multipurpose museum in the Asia-Pacific region. It now operates under the Ministry of Culture.
Dialogues Across Time, an exhibition of Indian contemporary and folk art, will showcase works by 100 artists and remain open until March 31. Curated by Sayantan Maitra Boka, this collaborative initiative between the Indian Museum and the Basu Foundation aims to inspire new ideas for the preservation of art and culture.
The exhibition will feature works of renowned contemporary artists such as Bharti Kher, Subodh Gupta and Madhvi Parekh. Among other artists whose works would be on display are Baoa Devi, Jangarh Singh Shyam and Bose Krishnamachari.
Shekhawat took a tour of the Indian Museum and praised the artworks put on display across the premises as part of the exhibition which aims to be a bridge between India’s rich past and vibrant contemporary art.
“This is a unique exhibition which we are doing for the first time. It will be a wonderful experience for the visitors when they come and see our rich cultural heritage which we have preserved here in the Indian Museum for 210 years,” said Arijit Dutta Choudhury, the director of the museum.
Earlier in the day, the union minister inaugurated On the Edge?, a modern art gallery on climate change at Science City, part of the Ministry of Culture’s NCSM. The gallery aims to raise awareness about climate change and global warming and educate people about actionable solutions to mitigate their effects.
Shekhawat highlighted the government’s initiatives in afforestation and promoting renewable energy while stressing the importance of individual efforts in combating the impact of climate change.
“People of all ages, including future generations, must commit to reducing carbon emissions for a greener and healthier planet,” he said.
The 57-year-old Parliamentarian from Jodhpur, Rajasthan, also visited the Lalit Kala Akademi before heading to the National Library. There, he explored the Museum of Word, a one-of-a-kind exhibit celebrating India's multilingual oral and written heritage.
Located in the library’s historic Belvedere House, the museum preserves the history of Indian languages and scripts while showcasing their evolution over time.
