It’s modern art, Jan but not as we know it!
I did not get off to a good start, arriving to find the museum closed. A large sign on the gate says ‘By order of the Minister of Culture Government of India, new opening hours from 11 am’. It is 10.15 am and this early bird is definitely not catching the worm!
THE DETAILS
The 11 am tour English tour as advertised at the ticket office, runs at 11.30’ish, Hmmmm make that Indian time more like 12 Noon.
The entrance fee of 20 rupees for a local, becomes 500 rupees for a foreigner…
The toilets are disgusting, the cafe none existent, unless you wanted a can of coke, I didn’t. Am I sounding like a spoilt tourist?
Continuing on, there’s a large lake being mopped up in the shop that had nothing appealing to buy even without the water damage.
Yep! Welcome to India, Wren.
I’m sincerely all for tourists contributing towards the maintenance of Delhi’s fine arts but the lady with the mop and bucket trying to turn back the tide in the shop looks like she could do with a few bucks from management to get the leaky roof fixed.
I wander down to view the masterworks from the National Gallery of Australia (NGA), thinking really? Did anyone from Australia actually check out where they were sending their precious artworks?
Indigenous Australia exhibition
The Indigenous Australia exhibition is a surprise and such a welcome relief.
I have the whole place to myself and I soon become engrossed. Well done Australia for bravely partnering with the National Gallery of New Delhi and giving audiences here an insight into art by some of Australia’s most important and admired Indigenous artists. I am later told that this exchange of artwork also includes an invitation for Indian artists to a study tour in Australia.
The NGA has chosen over 100 works from their 8000 object collection for the Delhi exhibition and I am immediately drawn to two politically charged artworks.
ASH ON ME, EXHIBITION
‘Ash On Me’ is a collection of vintage ashtrays with varying images of aboriginal identity. Bottom line, it is about having a cigarette stubbed out on you.
Ok, so Australia is a none too perfect place either.
Ash On Me by Tony Albert 2008 & Austracism by Vernon Ah Kee 2003
Austracism is a direct play on the word ostracism, looking at the commonly expressed and all too familiar sentiments surrounding racism in Australia. Each opening line starts with ‘I’m not a racist but …’
It’s got me thinking about my own initial harsh judgment of this museum through my western lens. A non-too perfect Aussie one at that.
Ok, ok, I forgive the flood in the art gallery, if not the state of the loos, actually that’s probably my British roots talking.
Talking of which, let’s go and look at the main museum and see how Indian modern art developed, in part through the British East India Company.
The modern buildings of the National Museum of Modern Art, New Delhi
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE TOUR
I hurry back for my 11 am, now 11.30 am but nearer 12 noon start for the English tour.
Within minutes it appears the guide is double booked and as I am the only tourist, my tour is hijacked by a class of fine arts students.
Welcome to the English language tour run in Hindi!
Just go with the flow Wren, go with the flow…
The guide was fantastic, a real enthusiast, and the students and I were enthralled.
I absolutely loved it, and my initial impressions of a dingy, disorganised, disaster of a Fine Arts Museum were gradually replaced, as one by one each painting, artist, and the history of modern art in India were brought alive.
The students were engrossed, they had been challenged to find one piece of artwork from the collection that spoke to them, to do some research on the background, and complete their own art in a similar style.
Suddenly it was as if I was back in my teens with all that excitement of a full life ahead and a huge lot of learning to be had! It was as if I had gatecrashed a living lecture from a fine arts college and I’m living the creative dream. This IS alright after all!
We start with a painting of a butterfly drawn by a child in the workshop area of the museum, and the guide asks us:
- How old is the artist?
- What are they trying to portray?
- Is this modern art?
WHAT IS MODERN ART?
We then move to the earliest works of art from 1840 and again we are challenged to define modern art?
It is a surprise to see such old artwork, as it is for many of the visitors, looking at the grumbles written on Trip Advisor. Of course for India, one of the world’s oldest civilisations, with rock paintings going back to the Stone Age some 30,000 years ago, a painting that is less than 200 years old is modern with a capital M!
Painting by painting we are taken on a journey of discovery. As a new member of the Delhi College of Fine Arts, I am challenged to imagine life in a time before photography. The camera reached India in around 1855.
Art is storytelling and literally paints a picture of society. Every fine detail such as jewellery, the emotion displayed, and the setting is important.
This was a society where most of the painters were male, all the dancers were female. The paintings were watercolours, traditional paintings contained a lot of gold.
What is modernity?
The British East India Co brought its own artists and the oil medium was introduced. In the modern era painting began to show raw life rather than wealth and fortunes. Faces began to be drawn three-dimensionally.
Oh, I could go on and on… But I won’t ruin it for any of you that might one day be lucky enough to stumble upon the National Museum of Modern Art in New Delhi and like me, wonder how you ended up here!
15 comments
What an elegant building and a fascinating exhibit.
I’m glad it wasn’t as bad as it seemed at the start.
Hi Liz – Thank you for sticking with me to the end! I always think the best experiences are often those that start with a “what the heck am I doing here… and end with a that was brilliant” The wonder of travel is you often learn just as much about yourself as you do what you are seeing.
Have a lovely day
Wren x
Hello, it is a beautiful building and museum. I am glad you were able to visit and tour the museum. Happy Thursday, enjoy your day!
Although it started out pretty bad, you chose to make lemonade out of the lemons. Any art no matter where it is displayed is worth seeing and reflecting on.
Interesting. I can empathize with feeling like a spoiled tourist sometimes.
How did you stumble upon this place, Wren? I didn’t have high hopes for your tour at the beginning of the post but so pleased to hear that you enjoyed your visit after all. The Australian artworks were interesting, covering topics that I hadn’t ever contemplated before when thinking of Australia, quite thought provoking.
I’m sorry that the change to MM’s opening hours makes linking up difficult for you so especially pleased to have your company this week.
I decided to have an arty day Maggie and this looked good! Always lovely to join you and other fellow Bloggers at MM, don’t worry about the opening hours, I will try to get there on time!
Wren x
It is amazing how giving something a chance can go from “what am I doing here” to “glad I’m here”! I love art museums and it was fun for me to see the National Gallery India through your eyes. Thanks!
Not an auspicious start but … All’s well that ends well, I’ve heard. I like what I see of the paintings and I’m glad your day was redeemed by the art.
What interesting commentary on your visit to the gallery. It’s so true that one’s perspective often changes when one takes the time to look a little deeper.
Art museums can give us so many clues about a particular culture, past and present. How interesting that you were able to experience the Australian exhibit while there. Racism is the universal scourge of humanity and compels us to keep watch on our own attitudes regularly. I think that art is always an excellent stepping stone towards human insight. We need art to reflect on where we’ve been and where we need to go. x Karen
Another fascinating and beautiful post from you, Wren! I learned a lot.
Your blog has a lovely new look. Have a great weekend! xx
Hi Sara – thank you so much for this and the private e-mail, you are coming through loud and clear and it is much appreciated.
Have a lovely weekend
Wren x
This was so interesting and I appreciate your narrative including first impressions and then of course even better how they changed, but I learned so much more by starting at the beginning instead of with the good stuff! It is awe inspiring to think about the meaning of modern in India compared with where I live. I have looked at other blogs from there and am always amazed.