The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced that the Reliance Foundation, the Indian philanthropic organisation founded by Nita and Mukesh Ambani, has promised a generous gift to support exhibitions that explore and celebrate the arts of India.
"This is an outstanding commitment that will have a direct impact on The Met and the exhibitions it presents to its millions of yearly visitors," said Daniel H. Weiss, President and CEO of The Met.
"As a global institution, we are devoted to studying and displaying art from every corner of the world, which is made possible only through the generosity of our friends. Nita and Mukesh Ambani are truly visionary benefactors, and we are enormously grateful for this meaningful gift," he added.
The gift will support a range of exhibitions examining the accomplishments and influence of the arts and artists of India across time and media. The first exhibition to benefit from this gift is this fall's Modernism on the Ganges: Raghubir Singh Photographs, opening October 11, 2017, a retrospective of the pioneering artist that will present his work from the late 1960s through his last unpublished projects of the late 1990s, the statement said.
The focus of the remaining exhibitions that will benefit from this sponsorship will range from early Buddhist art from the 1st century B.C. to 4th century A.D to 17th century Mughal art to contemporary Indian sculpture. More details on these exhibitions will be provided as their opening dates are confirmed, it added.
"India has a rich heritage of art and culture that can be traced back to the 3rd-4th century BC. At Reliance Foundation, it has been our ongoing mission to recognise and promote this valuable tradition by offering opportunities and platforms for Indian art locally in India and at various institutions around the globe," said Nita Ambani, Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation.
"This partnership with The Met enables Indian art to be shown at an iconic institution and further encourages us to continue our work in the art world. We are truly delighted to be part of this long term collaboration. We believe this will prove to be a wonderful partnership for learning and sharing that will go a long way for art in India," she added.