Patna: Bihar Museum marked its 11th Foundation Day on Aug 7 with the inauguration of several exhibitions celebrating India’s artistic heritage. Bringing together works by some of the country’s celebrated artists, the exhibitions offered visitors an opportunity to explore the richness and diversity of modern Indian art.Bihar museum director general Anjani Kumar Singh said the museum collaborated with National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), New Delhi, to present a special exhibition showcasing works by more than 100 Indian masters under one roof.“The exhibition traces the evolution of Indian art, from the academic realism of the early years and the Bengal School to the progressives, modernists and contemporary artists,” he said.A major attraction of the celebrations is ‘The timeless art of Mithila: A journey across continents’, an exhibition featuring more than 100 rare Mithila paintings that have returned to Bihar after decades in overseas collections. Once owned by four American collectors who acquired the works in the 1980s, the paintings trace the journey of Mithila art from the villages of Bihar to international collections and, eventually, back to its homeland.Artist Rajesh Ram’s sculptures, showcased in ‘Kaghaz ki kashti, retracing memories of boyhood’, revisit the simple joys of growing up. Presented by Palette Art Gallery and the Bihar Museum, the month-long retrospective will remain on display at Bihar Museum until Sept 6.Ram’s works draw on familiar images of rivers, boats, trees, birds, children, animals and everyday life, transforming them into metaphors for memory, aspiration, movement, nature, labour and community. Working with bronze, terracotta, wood and mixed media, he combines traditional craftsmanship with contemporary ideas, creating works in which the vernacular and the modern coexist.The works of more than 100 Indian masters and those of Rajesh Ram will remain on display at Bihar Museum until Sept 6, while the Mithila paintings at Patna Museum can be viewed until Sept 20.
