Jaipur to be shown in Chicago

Annie Samson

New Delhi, Feb 8 (PTI) Artworks from Jaipur, the citywhich has played host to filmstars, literary giants, othercelebrities and backpackers from across the globe will soon beshown in Chicago.

The Art Institute of Chicago (ARTIC), one of thelargest museums in America where Indian philosopher SwamiVivekananda had delivered his historic address in 1896, isdeveloping a major exhibition on the royal arts of Jaipur,planned to open in 2013.

"We are beginning a monumental exhibition on the royalart from Jaipur in Chicago in the year 2013. We will becollaborating with the National Museum in Delhi and Jaipur''sroyal family," President and Director, ARTIC, James Cuno toldPTI during his recent visit here.

In August 2010, Princess Diya Kumari and MaharaniPadmini Devi of Jaipur visited ARTIC to see the site of thefuture exhibition and signed an official letter of intent,informs Cuno.

The exhibit comprising paintings, textiles, jewellery,sculpture, photographs, costumes and other relics of theJaipur royalty sourced from various places will be curated byMadhuvanti Ghose, who would also be planning selective eventsto introduce Jaipur to the public in the Western country.

One of the highlights of the upcoming exhibition wouldbe presentation of all the 36 paintings of the JaipurRangmala. Presently ARTIC displays nine paintings at one timeover four rotations in a year.

"Beginning from 1960s and 1970s in the last 50 yearswe have dedicated a lot of energy to Indian art. Along with aa long fascination with visual culture of India we alsorecognise the vitality of the present art and its contemporaryartists.

"Indian art today is full of explosive energy... it islooking at issues grabbing on to the world as well as lookingback at its predecessors. It is also attracting wide globalattention," says Cuno.

The Art institute houses a large holding of Asian Artincluding a collection of Indian, Southeast Asian, Himalayanand Islamic art.

Beginning on September 11, 2010 the institute hadcommissioned "Public Notice 3" by Jitish Kallat, the firstmajor presentation of a contemporary Indian artist. Theexhibit connected Swami Vivekananda''s pleas for religioustolerance during his 1893 address and the attack on the WorldTrade Centre on the same day 108 years later.

"Kallat used LED lights to display the entire text ofthe Swami''s speech on the institutes''s grand staircase. It hasbecome so popular that we have extended the exhibit tillSeptember 11, 2011," says Cuno. .