Tsuktiben Jamir
The Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) in Mumbai is a pioneering multidisciplinary cultural facility in the field of the arts. It was founded by Nita Ambani with a vision to use a variety of art forms to conserve and promote India’s rich art, culture, and legacy. The NMACC brings together individuals from all around India and the world while nurturing and inspiring talent.
The NMACC had just concluded their SWADESH exhibition on the 2nd of April 2023, after a successful three-day event. However, amidst an amazing outpour of appreciation from the public coupled with their demand to extend it, Nita Ambani announced on the 29th of May that the SWADESH exhibition will be extended. Nita Ambani, the Founder and Chairperson of NMACC said, “India’s artisans are the pride of our country. Their arts and crafts are integral to our culture. It has been an honour for us at the NMACC to offer them a global platform to showcase their skill and talent, honed and passed down over generations.”
The exhibition is an interactive area where visitors partake in an unforgettable trip while seeing and interacting with skilled artists that specialise in well-known traditional art forms. The exhibition features a wide variety of crafts, including Kashmiri crafts, Blue Pottery from Jaipur, Tanjore, Pichwai, Pattachitra, Patola weaves, Venkatgiri weaves, Benaras weaves, and Paithan weaves.
Courtesy: Reliance Foundation.
“It gives me the greatest joy to see the attention and appreciation they have received in abundance from our Indian and international guests. I cherished my interactions with them, and it was overwhelming to hear their stories and see their extraordinary passion towards their craft. Swadesh is a celebration of our heritage, and I hope it marks a new beginning of respect, recognition, and sustenance for our artisans,” Nita Ambani added.
During the exhibition, the visitors were able to witness the artisans at work as well as interact with them. The artisans actively worked on traditional looms to make carpets and saris, using vegetable inks and needles to create paintings. This added to the appeal of the exhibition and enhanced the experience of the visitors experienced. The exhibition has now been extended as a result of the great adoration of the craftsmen, as seen by the large number of daily orders placed with them, the proceeds of which will directly and entirely benefit the artisans.
Courtesy: News18.
For the Cultural Centre audience, the SWADESH experience zone replicated the traditional artists’ working spaces with exquisitely constructed stalls so they could not only observe the expert artisans at work but also purchase their works. With Athangudi eco-friendly tiles and rustic traditional South Indian wooden touch décor, the entire area transforms into a live, breathing experience.
The additions to the extended show will include Weaves from Andhra Pradesh, Palagai Padam – Tanjore Painting from Tamil Nadu, the Tholu Bommalata Leather Shadow Puppetry from Andhra Pradesh, and Patola Weaves from Gujarat.
For a country that has a rich history of unique and intricate craftsmanship, this effort by the NMACC in exposing and promoting the artform is a wonderful initiative
