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Rajasthan has always fascinated me. No matter how many trips I take to the royal land, there is a new page of history waiting to unfold every time I visit. From magnificent palaces to quaint, colourful streets, eerie step wells and ruins of a time lost, Rajasthan’s motley history, heritage and culture never fails to amaze. One such fort is the grandoise Nahargarh Fort on the Aravallis overlooking the city of Jaipur. Built in 1734, by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of Jaipur, the fort was constructed as a place of retreat, and still serves the purpose for the hundreds of tourist that visit it every single day to marvel and understand at the thousands of stories encapsulated in its rich architecture. While the ancient art and culture is nurtured in the palace, the state’s tourism board recently joined hands with Saat Saath Arts to launch India’s first sculpture park, on December 10, 2017 to showcase contemporary artworks of artists at Madhavendra Palace in the Nahargarh Fort.
This one of a kind Sculpture Park at Madhavendra Palace, Nahargarh Fort is aimed to turn the royal palace into an art gallery with sculptures by top Indian and international artists displayed both in and outdoors. For 2017, artworks by 15 Indian and 9 international artists were selected to be exhibited at the Palace. The exhibition is curated by Peter Nagy, Director of Nature Morte Art Ltd. who commenced the launch of The Sculpture Park with a walkthrough for the press. The Hon’ble chief minister of Rajasthan, Vasundhara Raje under whom this project was being carried out arrived in the evening and officially inaugurated the event. She firmly believes that art in its many forms, embraces and connects people from across continents. In a speech emphasizing the importance of the initiative, she said that “For many years now, people have been coming to this beautiful palace - they come, they look and go away, but to keep this space living, it is important to merge it with today and if people are able to get to the works, where their imagination can be captured, where things can take off, where things can happen within these beautiful walls, I think it’s a privilege for someone like me to allow it to happen. For Jaipur, it is a great privilege to be able to see these international artists.”
Their initiative is to promote India’s growing interest in contemporary art and culture whilst also embracing its important heritage. “The Sculpture Park at Madhavendra Palace is a true amalgamation of the best of India’s past and present. Saat Saath’s endeavour has always been to showcase India’s prowess in contemporary art, and to that end we are thrilled to be able to bring this initiative to the public.” says Aparajita Jain, Founder & Director, Saat Saath Arts
As stated in their release, ‘The state’s cultural tourism has had a great impact after adopting contemporary culture and launching a series of cultural events like the renowned Jaipur Literature Festival and an international photography festival Jaipur Photo. In collaboration with eminent professionals from diverse fields, the state has supported various contemporary visual arts, photography and music.’
An experience like no other, the sculpture park is set to preserve the state’s rich cultural legacy and also provide a platform for budding artists. The current works will be displayed until November 2018 and the next one will follow immediately. The Sculpture Park in Jaipur should definitely make it to your Rajasthan itinerary.
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