The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced that the Reliance Foundation, the Indian philanthropic organization founded by Nita and Mukesh Ambani, has promised a generous gift to support exhibitions that explore and celebrate the arts of India.
"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.”
The gift will support a range of exhibitions examining the accomplishments and influence of the arts and artists of India across time and media. The first exhibition to benefit from this gift is this fall’s Modernism on the Ganges: Raghubir Singh Photographs, opening October 11, 2017, a retrospective of the pioneering artist that will present his work from the late 1960s through his last unpublished projects of the late 1990s. The focus of the remaining exhibitions that will benefit from this sponsorship will range from early Buddhist art from the 1st century B.C. to 4th century A.D to 17th century Mughal art to contemporary Indian sculpture. More details on these exhibitions will be provided as their opening dates are confirmed.
Nita and Mukesh Ambani are great champions of The Met. In 2016, Mr. and Mrs. Ambani and the Reliance Foundation supported the exhibition Nasreen Mohamedi, the first museum retrospective of the artist’s work in the United States that was presented as one of the inaugural exhibitions when The Met Breuer opened that spring. With this new gift, Mr. and Mrs. Ambani and the Reliance Foundation will have sponsored and made possible the showcasing of three important Indian exhibitions at the Met Breuer, allowing their Indian culture and heritage to be shared with global audiences from across the world who visit The Met. Their generosity will be recognized in the iconic building among other leadership donors to this important initiative. In 2017, the Museum honored Mrs. Ambani at The Met Winter Party celebrating achievements made toward greater diversity and inclusion in the world of art. In addition, Mrs. Ambani is generous with her time and expertise, which she shares as a member of The Met’s new International Council.
“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. 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." said Nita Ambani, Founder and Chairperson of Reliance Foundation.
Reliance Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Reliance Industries Limited, aims to play a catalytic role in addressing the nation’s development challenges through innovative and sustainable solutions. Led by Founder and Chairperson Smt. Nita Ambani, Reliance Foundation is relentlessly working towards facilitating transformative changes to ensure overall well-being and higher quality of life for all. Among India’s largest social initiatives, the Foundation is focused on addressing the nation’s development challenges in areas of Rural Transformation, Education, Health, Sports for Development, Disaster Response, Urban Renewal, and Arts, Culture and Heritage. The Foundation has touched the lives of more than 12 million people across India, in more than 12,500 villages and several urban locations.
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. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online.
Since it was founded in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. Every day, art comes alive in the Museum’s galleries and through its exhibitions and events, revealing both new ideas and unexpected connections across time and across cultures
Tushar Pania
Reliance Industries Ltd.
+ 91 9820088536
tushar.pania@ril.com
