Once, there was a chef, who flew around his personal jet, sharing a glimpse of India with people around the world. And whenever he returned to his country, he used to be laden with the stories of many miracles seen during his visit.
Maharaj (his name and title for this) has long been a mascot for the country’s national carrier Air India; However, over the years, their role has decreased and they are rarely seen publicly. For those who remember the days of their glory, or desire to remove the nobility of a past era, are displaying art from the National Gallery Air India Collection of modern art in Bengaluru (NGMA-B).
Title Code: A new beginning for Air India Collection, exhibition works as a showcase art which was collected by Air India for years. The public rarely gets a chance to see these pieces, which were kept in Air India offices in Mumbai. He was recently shifted to NGMA and is on a performance in Bengaluru for the first time.
According to Deputy Curator Darshan Kumar Yu in NGMA-B, Samhita is an extraordinary offering as it displays important artifacts, especially from the progressive art group (these were Indian artists who separated from traditional art forms and established modern Indian styles), and provide insights into the culture and inheritance of the Times.
List of demonstrations
Air India began collecting works of art and cultural property in the early 60s – a time when modern Indian art required protection, philosophy, who not only cured the show, but also conceptualized its design and performance.
Art works on performance in Sanhita: A new beginning for Air India collection in NGMA-B. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The idea of creating such a collection began when artist B. Prabha moved to the Air India office in Mumbai, after graduation from Sir JJ School of Art in the 1950s, to sell his artwork. Prabha’s six paintings were purchased for “Rs 87 and 8 Anas each” and later displayed at the Air India Booking Office in London, which paid a lot of attention.
It not only inspired the start of a project to demonstrate Indian culture, but also filled the airline’s reputation and came to be known as the Maharaja collection. “These art works will be displayed on official airline launch and other prestigious events Bhuta Kunita And other cultural demonstrations from different states will also be presented, ”Darshan says.
The collection created over the years, and in some examples, a fur system was thrown out, where the artists would give airline artifacts in exchange for airfare. When the artist Jitish Kallat did a show in London and the gallery could not pay his rent, Air India sponsored his journey. As a token of his gratitude, he made a painting that is on performance in Sanhita, says Darshan.
Titleless piece of Jitish Kallat in NGMA | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The titleless piece of acrylic on canvas was executed in 1998, and in search of contemporary life, in search of their contemporary life, attracts attention to the expansion, color and texture of Jiteish.
Over time, Air India Art Collection had art and artworks of over 10,000 pieces, including rare books and watches, costumes and jewelery, in addition to paintings, sculptures, prints, photos and more. The collection of six decades is a will for both traditional and modern Indian art history.
Hand change
Needless to say, the transfer of this collection into the NGMA archives from Air India’s Treasure Troves was a time -consuming process to take a better part of a five -year, and was completed at the end of last year.
Darshan says, “Air India Building in Mumbai put up a huge collection built over time with the works of many artists; there were many formalities that had to be taken care of, especially in the context of documentation, before they moved to NGMA Delhi.”
Maharaja Statuete | Photo Credit: Ruth Dhanraj
The Code includes more than 180 works by reputed Indian artists such as MF Hussain, K Ara, FN Suja, B. Vital, Kanchan Chandra, Arpana Kaur, Pilo Puchkanwala and Achuthan Kudluor, which are accompanied by statues with Janaki Ram, Bhadri Narayan and S. Nandgopal.
A statement by NGMA-B reads, “The transfer of Air India collection to NGMA is a symbol of a permanent relationship between Indian art and institutional treasures, ensuring that the legacy of the art collection of Air India remains an important part of our artistic heritage. This cooperation plays an important role in preserving and promoting the cultural history of India.”
Royal reception
A route in deep red and cream welcomes the Samhita to visitors – a jharokha frame reminding the airline windows start with a mirror. Famous cartoonists line up the corridor throwing comic lighting on the functioning of the depicting industry by Mario Miranda.
“The purpose of keeping a mirror there was to look inward and was to connect itself with Air India travel. It is not only about art, but also a airline as a cultural property. At its peak, Air India was a great airline, which was a great airline with its own magazines and magazines, a great airline, which handed over the people handing over the Maharaj, which handed over the Maharaj, which is handed over to the Maharaj,”
A statue of the Maharaja welcomes visitors, while bright colored paintings and souvenirs attract to visitors who cannot be art lovers in classical meanings. Posters, postcards and other memorable, reflecting the Maharaja, their experiences as the Debonier Ambassador of all things and their experience in the distant land, make the showcase richly, especially in his trademark style designed by cartoonist RK Laxman.
Maharaja Pictures and Souvenirs for NGMA-B’s Air India Collection. , Photo Credit: Ruth Dhanraj
A hand fan with India’s map in association with different tourist attractions, and pages from pages Maharaja’s book of fairy tales A wall lining, causing visitors to participate in this immersive exhibition. Pages of an early inflite magazine, blown and displayed on the wall, highlighted India’s culture and heritage. Darshan says, “These small stories make the show interesting and inclusive for visitors of all ages.”
“Also, there is a clever drama of words Wind book, One who provides a metaphor understanding of Air India, “he says, shows the sepia-tinted pages that show Maharaj as” fresh-air-India “in a salon or in a rickshaw or as a hot air balloon in the” lightening-air-India “.
According to philosophy, it was not alone thoughtfulness or gimmick that encouraged Air India to bring out souvenirs and miniatures or postcards, celebrating a “100 -year -old Bombay” or a special wildlife species. “They were eager to craft the objects that were attractive and utilitarian. At an age where our entire life revolves around our phone and laptop, the attraction of those days is unmatched.”
Maharaja Pictures and Souvenirs for NGMA-B’s Air India Collection. , Photo Credit: Ruth Dhanraj
Wonder walk
While the entire collection includes rare functions, one must see, a piece of Spanish simplified salvador cast. “The artist was commissioned by the airline to make a souvenir and prepared an unusual ash. From one side it looks like a swan, but when seen from the other angle, one can see two swans and one elephant. If it turns up, a swan and two elephants appear,” philosophy says.
The 600 versions of this piece were prepared from the shining bisk porcelain in the two recurrents – a blue or green snake that forms the rim of the ashtray. For his efforts, Dali requested a child’s elephant as payment and is part of an immersive and interactive performance in the Astre Code. “It is interesting to see a skilled and internationally known artist unlike India’s art scene at the time. It also attracts the interest of the audience how versatile artists can be.” He says.
Dali ashtray | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
In other works, the husband-wife pair B. Vital and B. Prabha, Pilo Pochkhanwala, see out for art by Tantric artist Village Santosh, a set of small format by VS Gateond, an eight work cluster by Badri Narayan, and a huge canvas from MF Hussain’s horse series.
“Anjoli Ella Menon’s window works are also on performance. Painted on the windows, he has a 3D feel and is beautifully included in space. With a 100-year-old building with NGMA-B, his art offers a different connect,” he says.
With more than 180 tasks, on the performance of Marvel, plan to plan better for your day in the spirit of these masters. This is a chance that cannot come in a while.
Code: A new beginning for Air India Collection By 31 August, 2025, NGMA will take place on performance with an expansion in Bengaluru. Call 08022342338 for details.
