Sunit Chopra | When art critics become collector

Sunit Chopra: Critic and his art In ignaka

Sunit Chopra was a kind man. The late art critic and senior leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) were always accessible and hot, and in the inauguration of any art, he paid the same attention to the young, upcoming artists as a Jatin Das or Jozen Chaudhary. One of the many reasons, Chopra wrote about art, the gap between art and the common man was to bridge. Now, after his death in 2023, his sister Nina Rao and niece Nirja Rao continue their philosophy of construction connections.

Chopra, who lasted an innings as an art critic for nearly five decades, was also an art collector. Nina and Neerja have donated their collection of 200 paintings, sculptures, writing, and other individual memorials to the Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts (IGNCA) – an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture that serves as a resource center for Indian art forms.

Sunit Chopra

Nina, a former journalist and reader at Delhi University, says, “Sunit asked me to donate collections so that anyone could see it. Their only request:” Just don’t break my collection. “

Sarla works by Chandra and Somnath Hore

A liberal combination

IGNCA recently performed 100 tasks, titled in a show Sunit Chopra: Critic and his artIt had a cross-section of artists, styles and forms-from the measure to installed, from abstract to sculptures, traditional to modern and contemporary. Nina says, “She bought the works of Subodh Gupta and Neeraj Goswami at the beginning of her career, so you can see the development of her style by looking at these pieces,” Nina says, who is two -year -old senior and Chopra has started in the world of art criticism. “He bought an artwork, if he saw the value in it, if it resonated with him, and not because of a name. He died a month ago, he bought a work by senior artist Sameer A. in West Bengal.

Sunit Chopra: Critic and his art In ignaka

Curns also included female artists like Shoba Brouta, Arpana Car and others. Cure work Devi PenelopeWith its three eyes, Greek takes inspiration from mythology; The work of artist and writer KG Subramanian depicts two barking dogs; And a painting of Ramkinkar Bis, which is considered to be the first modern sculptor of India, refers to Radha and Krishna.

Ramkinkar Bis Painting

The oldest paintings in the collection are by unknown English painters, which Chopra bought while studying in England in the 60s. “MF Hussain used to invite the wedding, and he gifted her [Chopra] One of them. Nina says, “This is also in the collection. I did not see them all, and while working with Ignca, I was pleasant.”

Sunit Chopra’s collection can be seen in IGNCA, New Delhi by appointment.

Bangalore -based journalists write on art, culture, health and social welfare.