Inside India’s First Sculpture Park Set in an 18th-Century Fortress

Inside India’s First Sculpture Park Set in an 18th-Century Fortress

Inside India’s First Sculpture Park Set in an 18th-Century Fortress ⇒ Set at the historic Madhavendra Palace in Jaipur, this sculpture park is the result of a collaboration between the government of Rajasthan and the nonprofit organization Saat Saath Arts, creating a spectacular park of contemporary artworks.

 

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Inside India's First Sculpture Park Set in an 18th-Century Fortress

 

When you stroll through the exquisite grounds of the 18th-century Nahargarh Fort in Jaipur, India, you may spot much more contemporary objects. At the heart of the fortress is the 1892 Madhavendra Palace, a former seasonal retreat for King Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh and his nine wives, where nearly every structural surface seems to be covered in intricately painted decorative murals.

 

Inside India's First Sculpture Park Set in an 18th-Century Fortress

 

An installation by French artist Arman is now sitting under an expansive interior arch. Another by Indian artist Antia Dube hangs from the ceiling. Throughout the palatial space, 61 contemporary artworks are displayed. Thanks to a collaboration between nonprofit Saat Saath Arts and the government of Rajasthan, the 20,000-square-foot structure is India’s first sculpture park.

 

Inside India's First Sculpture Park Set in an 18th-Century Fortress

 

“We were genuinely frustrated about how little contemporary public art there was in the country,” explains Saat Saath Arts cofounder Aparajita Jain. “So we went on a scouting mission.” With the blessing of state officials and the help of curator Peter Nagy of Nature Morte, she set her sights on the city of Jaipur. “It’s having a moment, and has a great mix of heritage and new”, she says.

 

Inside India's First Sculpture Park Set in an 18th-Century Fortress

 

Though the chosen palatial site had long been open to the public, Jain wanted art to activate it, without touching its 125-year-old decor. A sculpture park seemed the natural fit. Her nonprofit raised the funding and obtained the artworks on loan. The government of Rajasthan supports the daily upkeep. The first exhibition features works ranging in date from 1984 to 2017. A second show is set for December, with a nearly new roster of artists.

 

Inside India's First Sculpture Park Set in an 18th-Century Fortress

 

“I think the contemporary artworks and the historic space work together like magic,” she says. “One of the thoughts that a lot of Indians specifically have is that we are a country with a deep heritage, yet the younger generation keeps pretty global. We don’t wish away our past. At the same time, we don’t want to write off our present. I think we are living examples of what was and what is, today; we are this new amalgamation.”

 

Inside India's First Sculpture Park Set in an 18th-Century Fortress

 

Built in 1882, the Madhavendra Palace is set within an 18th-century fortress in Jaipur, India, once used as a monsoon-season retreat for King Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh and his nine wives. In collaboration with the Rajasthan government, Saat Saath Arts has transformed the historic grounds into a contemporary sculpture park, with artworks in its current exhibition ranging in date from 1984 to 2017.

 

 

With installations from Mrinalini Mukherjee, Thukral & Tagra, Vibha Galhotra, Arlene Shechet, Stephen Cox, Anita Dube, Vikram Goyal or LN Tallur, this new project took Jaipur by storm and will certainly attract art and design lovers from all over the world.

 

Inside India's First Sculpture Park Set in an 18th-Century Fortress

 

See Also:

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A COLORFUL INTERIOR DESIGN AT PARADISO IBIZA ART HOTEL IBIZA, SPAIN

 

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Source: Architectural Digest