Ancient Dutch monument doubles up as art gallery in Kerala

I / Kochi April 29, 2009, 12:23 IST

It is no recession time for art galleries in Kerala as they seem to be popping up at regular intervals, with the latest to join the bandwagon being a 400-year-old renovated Dutch monument at nearby Fort Kochi.    

A hotel chain has taken on lease the ancient monument 'David Hall' at nearby Fort Kochi, renovating it into an art gallery and hub of indigenous art forms.     

A surviving legacy of the Dutch, David Hall is a part of three houses built by the Dutch East India Company in 1695.     

The formal inauguration of David Hall, now exhibiting about 70 paintings, including that of noted artist and Kerala Lalith Kala Akademi chairman C N Karunakaran, was held here recently by Education and Cultural Affairs Minister, M A Baby, who described it as a 'daring initiative'.    

Jose Dominic, CEO and Managing Director of CGH Earth group of hotels, told PTI that the gallery was different from others in Kerala.  

Besides works of artists both established and up and coming, it would also function as a centre for performing arts and complete cultural centre. Camps of indigenous artists from Madhya Pradesh and North East would be held, he said.  Efforts would be to make available works of art at affordable rates. "This gallery will be less of a commercial venture. Prices here will be realistic," he said, adding 15 paintings put up in the maiden exhibition had already been sold out.   

"We do not want to discourage potential buyers by putting up exorbitant prices", he said.There are also plans to have performances of lesser known art forms of Kerala at the monument. 'Chavattu Natakakam', the traditional theatre of Kerala, facing extinction and puppet shows are among those planned, besides talk shows and book releases.     

Besides art and performing art, culinary art will also be on display. Indigenous and contemporary food from Kerala, coastal Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep would be available at the cafeteria.     

The gallery has been linked with one in Mumbai and plans are on to cooperate with galleries in Chennai and Delhi, Dominic said.    

"This is a platform for new Indian artists who are yet to become famous. Upcoming artists have to struggle to display their works. That will not be the case here, but there will be a scrutiny panel to select their works," he said.     

Dominic said he was optimistic of attracting buyers from all over the country.     

David Hall, near Parade Ground at Fort Kochi, was also the residence of Dutch commander Hendrik Adriaan Van Reede Tot Drakestein, well known for his book 'Hortus Malabaricus'. It was the residence of David Koder, a Jewish businessman and is named after him.