Rare treasures for the aam aadmi

Collectors are not averse to sharing their collections with people, and places of heavy traffic with adequate security, such as airports, would be ideal to showcase these

Last fortnight, to celebrate the 90th birthday of collector Jagdish Mittal, a three-day event was staged in Hyderabad. The soft-spoken, erudite collector's eyes still sparkle with memories when he gets down to reminiscing about his halcyon days of chasing bargains driven not so much by wealth as by passion. And that aesthetic curiosity cut across all collectibles, whether textiles, jewellery, art objects, silverware or modern art. In the bargain, he became a hands-on expert of the kind that is rare, for having learnt from experience, not theory.

Though he has built an enviable collection, collectors of the ilk of Mittal are less rare than one might imagine. Collectors of his vintage had a liberal, even eclectic, approach to collecting than the sharper focus that marks their peers today. The common thread was a sense of artistic excellence that made the choice of medium or material irrelevant - in that sense, perhaps, they tended to collect with the same zeal as the former princes who were patrons of art. From the Birlas and Goenkas to Mallick's Palace in Kolkata or Salarjung Museum in Hyderabad, their interest lay in all aspects of beauty, making them true connoisseurs and gatekeepers to the nation's artistic heritage.

Was it a symptom of the age? In the West, the wealthy collected similarly, often gifting away their homes and collections to museums, trusts and foundations. This sharing of one's personal collection with the public has contributed to the appreciation of art in developed nations, something that is still in its infancy in India. It will be a while before we will have enough private museums, or donations to national institutions, to endorse the state's endeavour in this direction.

But there is an easier way that the public and private sectors can reach out to collectors, for loans of their works to spaces that will encourage a similar understanding. Collectors are not averse to sharing their collections with people, and places of heavy traffic with adequate security would be ideal to showcase these. Airports, for instance, would benefit greatly from such a relationship. Why not curate exhibitions of iconic collections so visitors with time to spare could spend it looking at examples of the country's heritage and artistic legacy? Can you imagine the cachet of exhibiting ancient textiles from the Calico Museum, for instance? Or the Nizam's collection of jewellery? Could McKinsey head Kito de Boer, or RPG's Harsh Goenka, be persuaded to part with a fraction of their collections of modern art for a few months so that privately held paintings and sculpture can be aired before the public? Contemporary art, which finds such little consideration in the national mindspace, would benefit as greatly as collections of antiques in creating awareness as well as a link between the art of centuries ago and now. Rare treasures, to which the aam aadmi has no access, could trigger a tsunami of interest in these works.

If airports are one such idea, hotels are a logical next. Even large corporations could be turned into experiential spaces with loans of artworks from different collectors - whether the promoters, or others. This would go a long way in educating people on the value of aesthetic and art appreciation. Educational campuses and exposition sites could be other potential locations for exhibitions of loaned collections. Not only would this benefit viewers, it could sensitise them to start their own collections, however modest, thereby assuring patronage to artists and artisans. And what better way to kickstart the revolution than by asking Jagdish Mittal for a loan of his works to be exhibited at the impressive Hyderabad airport? Is anyone listening?

Kishore Singh is a Delhi-based writer and art critic. These views are personal and do not reflect those of the organisation with which he is associated