Reliance Foundation to fund Indian art exhibitions at The Met

The prestigious Metropolitan Museum of Art here will receive a "meaningful gift" from the Reliance Foundation to fund several exhibitions that explore and celebrate the arts of India, the museum said.
The first exhibition to benefit from this gift was this fall's Modernism on the Ganges: Raghubir Singh Photographs, that opened at The Met Breuer on Wednesday, it said.
The gift promised by the founder of the organisation, Nita and Mukesh Ambani, will support a range of exhibitions examining the accomplishments and influence of the arts and artists of India across time and in all media, it said.
"This is an outstanding commitment that will have a direct impact on The Met and the exhibitions it presents to its millions of yearly visitors," said Daniel H Weiss, President and CEO of The Met.

"As a global institution, we are devoted to studying and displaying art from every corner of the world, which is made possible only through the generosity of our friends. Nita and Mukesh Ambani are truly visionary benefactors, and we are enormously grateful for this meaningful gift," he added.
The focus of the remaining exhibitions that will benefit from this sponsorship will range from early Buddhist art from the 1st century BC to 4th century AD to 17th century Mughal art to contemporary Indian sculpture, it added.

"India has a rich heritage of art and culture that can be traced back to the 3rd-4th century BC. At Reliance Foundation, it has been our ongoing mission to recognise and promote this valuable tradition by offering opportunities and platforms for Indian art locally in India and at various institutions around the globe," said Nita Ambani, Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation.

"This partnership with The Met enables Indian art to be shown at an iconic institution and further encourages us to continue our work in the art world. We are truly delighted to be part of this long term collaboration. We believe this will prove to be a wonderful partnership for learning and sharing that will go a long way for art in India," she added.
Art from the Indian sub-continent has been collected by The Met from 1891. The holdings include sculpture, painting, textiles, photographs, and various other media from 2500 B.C. to modern times, documenting the rich cultural heritage of the sub-continent, it added.

The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in three iconic sites in New York City-The Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer, and The Met Cloisters.