How to hoard

Deephti Sasidharan

Unlike today, the golden years, so to speak, that followed immediately post independence provided a vibrant and nurturing atmosphere for citizens to thrive intellectually and individually. Ashvin Rajagopalan, director at the Piramal Art Museum, seems to echo that sentiment. "It was only in 1947 that the question of an Indian identity came up. So, it was during the 1940s, '50s and '60s when several visionaries believed that India should have its own museums. After that, the task has been left to private collectors and the onus is no longer on the government," he tells us.

Ashvin Rajagopalan

This reasoning lies at the crux of Conversations on Collecting, a panel discussion organised by the museum, which seeks to decode the patterns of collecting during that era. "We will be looking at individual-led institutional collections and how they have shaped modern and contemporary art today. Take Homi Bhabha as an example.

He single-handedly built a collection which is now globally relevant," Rajagopalan explains, adding that the aim is to highlight the role individuals can play in fostering art collection. The discussion will also shed light on the infrastructure and services available today, in the form of restorers, researchers and curators who can help independent collectors.

"The ability to research and study collections is the bedrock of famous art collections in present times," adds Deepti Sasidharan, director at Eka Cultural Resources and Research who is one of the panelists.

ON: August 31, 6.30 pm to 8 pm
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