Why is Mumbai’s art sector lagging behind?

Legendary painter Gaitonde’s birth centenary year started on 2^nd November 2023. After realizing that no government, the state or the central would take any initiative to celebrate it, ‘Chinha’ has decided to celebrate this momentous occasion in its own way. On this occasion, ‘Chinha’ will publish an international edition of the book ‘Gaitonde’ and we will remember the great artist every week in a special section ‘Gaitonde 100’ on our website as well as our social media handles. Presenting the third article in this series.

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We had said that if no one else did, Chinha would certainly celebrate ‘Gaitonde Centenary Year’ and accordingly we also announced it and started working. At that time, we did not realize that Diwali would come soon and blow away our resolutions. But the Diwali holidays came and all the plans were turned upside down. When the festivals of Ganapati and Diwali come, I always feel a pang in my chest because of the holidays that had to be given to the office staff at that time. The same thing happened this time too. Despite all the preparations, we were caught off-guard at the crucial time. While the article on Gaitonde planned for Thursday’s post was delayed, Sanjay Meshram’s article on poet Grace also could not be circulated properly on social media. However, one lesson learned from this is that we do not have to stay behind in this technology led world. So the thing I have to say is that now at this stage of my age I am trying to learn new technology and imbibe it. So, it is certain that our meeting from here on will be on time. Anyway!

After the announcement of the ‘Gaitonde Birth Centenary Year’ on November 2^nd, many ‘Gaitonde’ fans were expecting some action at the government level, many even asked for it by phone or sending messages. However, I was pretty sure that nothing like that would happen, so I was not too shocked by all this. But the fans of ‘Chinha’ and ‘Gaitonde’ who are ignorant about government affairs were definitely hurt by this government apathy. Considering the manner in which the state of politics in Maharashtra has sunk into the abyss, I sincerely feel that the wise citizens of Maharashtra should give up such expectations. Anyway! The whole matter has now gotten so out of hand that it would be a waste of time to comment further on it.

However, it can be said that some sensible artists and art activists of Maharashtra and Goa have definitely taken note of the articles of ‘Chinha’. Today we published the news in the English edition of ‘Chinha’ that the Dinanath Dalal Memorial Art Education Centre of Goa organized an artist camp in Goa from 15^th to 19^th November to pay homage to the achievements of Gaitonde with the help of the Department of Art and Culture of the Goa State Government. Many painters from Goa and Maharashtra participated in this camp. Shridhar Kamat Bambolkar organized this camp successfully. This is a really a noteworthy event. Mr Bambolkar should be heartily congratulated for this.

Gaitonde’s birth centenary can be celebrated with a bang if art activists from many cities rise up in a similar manner. People working in this field should stop expecting that ‘the government will do something’. The government or the rulers will not do anything for this sector, because the process of creating leaders who are aware that there is such a sector and we have to do something about it has slowed down now. Politics and Social activism have been reduced to become a business. And therefore there is no more scope for our field there. That is why the issue of JJ School of Art has been lingering for years. Against this backdrop, many people are coming forward to celebrate ‘Gaitonde’ birth centenary year. I received a call from Prof. Nitin Hadap from Pune the other day. He was saying, ‘A theatre project named ‘Shriram Lagoo Rangaavakash’ is being implemented in Pune by the family of Dr. Shriram Lagoo. It will be inaugurated in coming January. A three-day festival has been organized by both the Maharashtra Cultural Centre and Sudarshan Art Gallery in Pune. In that festival, an exhibition of prints of Gaitonde’s paintings and a program of discussion of articles on Gaitonde will be organized. And so on. If such programs are celebrated everywhere, why do we need those government pleas?

One wonders why there is no announcement from either the Bombay Art Society or the Art Society of India yet. During the period when Gaitonde was working in Mumbai, he must have come in contact with these two institutions. He used to come to the gallery of Artists Centre every day. He used to participate in chats over there. If anyone asked, he would express his opinion very strongly. He appeared prominently in many photographs of that time. Now I have no idea whether the Artists Centre exists or not, but what is the problem with other two institutions in taking the initiative to celebrate the ‘Gaitonde Birth Centenary Year’?

Satish Naik

Editor,

‘Chinha Art News’