The year 2019 will see the launch of a modern art centre in the southern region of India by one of the country’s wealthiest families and most recognised groups of cultural benefactors. The JSW Foundation, which is the social development arm of the JSW Group, headquartered in Mumbai, was formed and is run by members of the Jindal family. It is in the process of launching Hampi Art Labs. The yearly revenue of the corporation is believed to be $22 billion. Among other interests, the company is involved in the steel, energy, and infrastructure industries.
The 18-acre art facility is scheduled to open in February 2024 and will be situated in a town close to Hampi, which is listed as a Unesco World Heritage site. This location will be around an hour’s drive from Bengaluru. Once the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, which dominated parts of southern India from the 14th to the early 17th century, Hampi is now a well-liked location for tourists to visit because of its rich history. At the height of its power, the empire was one of the most prosperous and extensive in terms of size, and its commanders created more than a thousand structures all around Hampi. These structures included finely carved stone temples, marketplaces, and gates, and a number of them are still standing today. In addition, visitors are drawn to the area by its breathtaking natural setting, which is comprised of massive boulder formations and is situated along the banks of the Tungabhadra River.
The first exhibition, titled “Right Foot First,” will feature works by notable artists such as Andy Warhol, Annie Morris, and Ai Weiwei, amongst others. These works will be displayed from the Jindal Collection and will cover the years 1998 to 2023. This exhibition intends to showcase interdisciplinary linkages across a range of various historical periods and art forms. Additionally, the exhibition will emphasise the JSW group’s continuous support for the arts as well as significant events in Indian contemporary art.
The undulating architecture of Hampi Art Labs was inspired by the natural flow of the Tungabhadra River, which flows throughout the historic city of Hampi. Visitors will be able to navigate the space in harmony with the architecture as they go around the building. Sameep Padora, the architect who designed the centre, infuses it with a lyrical quality that is in tune with the spiritual energy that is connected with Hampi.
The future shows at the facility will consist of new commissions and loans. These exhibitions will be organised by guest curators who will respond to the centre and its surroundings, or they will be curated in partnership with residence graduates. Artists Bhasha Chakrabarti, Sharbendu De, Madhavi Gore, and Promiti Hossain, as well as Anirudh Singh Shaktawat, will be in residence for the first cycle of the artist residency programme.
Sangita Jindal, who is leading the effort, talks about how excited she is to integrate modern art with tradition and environment. She says that she draws her motivation from the fact that she has a soft spot in her heart for the historic city of Hampi. The project echoes the thoughts of her mother, Urmila Kanoria, who established one of India’s first residency programmes in 1984. This support for the arts is a tradition that has been passed down through the Kanoria family.
The steel facility will be open to the participants of the artist residency programme so that they may “work on a large scale and with specialised equipment.” Printmaking, pottery, and new media production spaces are a few examples of additional production facilities.
This is not the first cultural endeavour that the Jindals have started in the neighbourhood; in fact, there have been others. In 2012, JSW established Kaladham, a campus in Vijayanagar that spans 10 acres and is home to performing spaces, in addition to a museum that is devoted to the history of Hampi. In the past, Sangita Jindal has also been involved in the process of restoring temple sites at Hampi while working with the Global Heritage Fund.
Image Courtesy: Hampi Art Labs
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