With the grand launch of Nita Ambani’s dream project, the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC), which took guests on a journey of spectacular performing and costume art shows over the last two days, the venue also witnessed the opening of a dedicated visual art space called ‘Art House’.
Inaugurated by Mukesh Ambani’s mother Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani, the Art House, opened with ‘Sangam/Confluence’.
Located inside the Jio World Centre in Bandra-Kurla Complex, NMACC is the first of its kind multi-disciplinary cultural space in India that aims to preserve and promote Indian arts. The grandiose structure has been dubbed the Ambanis’ “humble dedication to New India” by Nita Mukesh Ambani.
The unique exhibition features over 50 exquisite artworks and installations from five Indian and five international artists, all celebrating India’s diverse cultural impulses and traditions.
Curated by American curator Jeffrey Deitch and India’s leading cultural theorist Ranjit Hoskote, the exhibit is inspired by the idea of unions deeply rooted in Indian culture. From the works of internationally acclaimed artists like Anselm Kiefer, Cecily Brown and Francesco Clemente - whose pieces are being displayed in India for the very first time - to the artworks of eclectic Indian artists like Bhupen Khakhar, Ranjani Shettar, Ratheesh T and Shantibai, the show witnessed a unique melting pot of traditions, much like the cultural centre itself.
The final day of the gala also saw Nita Ambani and her daughter Isha Ambani unveil ‘India in Fashion: The Impact of Indian Dress and Textiles on the Fashionable Imagination’ - a beautifully illustrated eponymous coffee table book published by Rizzoli.
Further, an extension of the costume art exhibit featured an introduction by author, costume expert and ‘India in Fashion’ Curator Hamish Bowles, along with insightful scholarly notes by renowned curators, historians, and journalists in the fields of fashion, textile and art history.
This was followed by a reading of excerpts by Isha Ambani, along with art historian, writer and curator Amin Jaffer, fashion and textile designer Anuradha Vakil, noted fashion journalist and critic Suzy Menkes, and editor and writer Priyanka Khanna.
The grand evening closed with the performance of Indi-pop singer Prateek Kuhad.
As in the days before, the Swadesh craft souvenir store continued to pique the interest of visitors, with many choosing to take memorabilia back home.
The Cultural Centre will open for the public on 3 April with a list of events already lined up. Booking of the events can be done on the NMACC website and Book my show.
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