A Must Visit For Every Art Lover: National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi By Khushboo Malhotra

Art is a perfect medium to describe through silent expression where words fail and Modern Art has always depicted the society vividly through art. National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi is one perfect place on the list of every art lover who is keen to learn about Indian history and understand various art forms. Built around the 1950s and housed in the gracious heritage building that was originally the residence of the princely ruler of Jaipur, NGMA is the premier art gallery treasuring a wide array of paintings, sculptures, graphics, and photographs that trace the historical development of modern art in India. With 12,000 sq. ft. of the area covered, it is one of the largest and the finest modern art museums in the world. For both novices and art connoisseurs, NGMA features a mammoth collection of span miniature paintings to modernist interventions and au courant contemporary expressions. It is the house of the city’s sprawling art collection of modern Indian paintings and sculptures including stellar masterpieces with the likes of Thomas Daniell, Raja Ravi Varma, Rabindranath Tagore, Amrita Sher-Gil, Jamini Roy, Sooni Taraporevala and modernists such as Maqbool Fida Husain, SH Raza, and Tyeb Mehta. Among the comprehensive collection of the NGMA that includes around 17000 artworks, one of the most valuable gifts that it received was a large body of paintings by Amrita Sher-Gil in 1950. It also showcases numerous paintings with exotic Indian scenes by European and other eastern artists who visited India between the 18th and 19th centuries.  

The authorities at NGMA have facilitated the visitors with guided walks through the day where they are given a detailed explanation of the exhibits. It is open for all tourists and art lovers at a minimal fee for adults and free for children. NGMA also offers a virtual gallery on its website exhibiting a vast collection of its famous artworks around the globe from across the centuries which is accessible at the comfort of your home. What’s more delightful to see is the history and story behind each artist and the collection they have which speak for itself. The place has such an aura that you would not want to leave it before inhaling every last bit of its essence. NGMA is more than an institution and display of art. It organizes lectures and conferences regularly to encourage research in art history, art criticism, art appreciation, museology while preserving the essence of modern art culture and maintaining quality standards of excellence. It has developed a specialized library of books, periodicals, photographs, and other audiovisual materials which is accessible to the visitors. NGMA is helping people to look and connect to the works of modern art for greater joy and understanding and extending their relationship with our lives’ experiences as vital expressions of the human spirit. It allows you to explore and enjoy the art through the eyes of its artists and appreciate all the beauty that they have dreamt and expressed on the canvas.

Khushboo Malhotra, in her mid-20s, is a digital marketer, story teller and freelance writer sharing a wanderlust and scripting the beauty of the world through her own eyes. You can get in touch with Khushboo on Twitter @KhushMalhotra