You dont get things like this anymore; I need to look after them more carefully, she says, as I hurriedly extricate it from under me. "Ask the museum staff (about our arguments)," he laughs, recalling that every phase of the museum's restoration saw a clash of the titans, especially the one over air-conditioning the space 24x7 as per international standards. "As a curator, you should be able to say why a work of art is good or bad. I know that it isnt easy to control how others behave but Ive always believed that it is necessary to treat others with the respect you would want them to treat you with. The book captures the pluralism thats inherent in the museum collection, right from a diorama of Emperor Jehangir on Shikar (1927-28) to Mumbadevis statue (2009). The museum continues to hold discussions on climate change, health, and sustainability among other topics, which are all extremely well-received. She clearly takes the business aspect of running the Museum quite seriously, and footfalls are a measure she focuses closely on. Ive always believed that honesty and respect are very closely linked. YOUR HEROES IN REAL LIFE: My real life hero is my dada, Jagat Singh Mehta. "Mehta is a visionary, and ambitious for the museum. The couple stayed together for 21 years until Later when Paula filed for divorce and due to unavoidable circumstances they finalized their divorced in 2018. Visiting or Connecting with Mount Holyoke, Copyright 2021 Trustees of Mount Holyoke College. Over the last few years, Bhau Daji Lad, the oldest museum in Mumbai, has been constantly reinventing itself, blurring the lines between old and new, acknowledging and embracing various new forms of art. Mehta is very clear about basing the overall schedule on the idea that Indian art is holistic, handmade and participative in nature. Main Menu. Tasneem Zakaria Mehta. Now I realise that managing a retail store and managing a museum have great similarities, because in both, you are dealing with the public, inventory, events, display, customers, footfalls, targets how you manage people on the floor. The museum industry is still grappling with the long-term implications and faces a continuous challenge to reinvent and revitalise in order to keep up with the quickly evolving times and to create more engaging exhibitions and educational programmes for visitors. Maharashtra bypoll: Will Independent candidate Rahul Kalate help BJP in Chinchwad? Shades of humanism. May 6-9, 2023. www.artcurators.org. Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, Anjuli Bhargava Monday 5 September '11. She belongs to one of the most prominent families of Mumbai: her step-brother is the journalist Fareed Zakaria; her father, Rafiq Zakaria, was Maulana Azad's secretary and a participant in India's freedom struggle. "We want to make a difference in how the public feels about, views and engages with these artworks. ET Bureau Pejoratives and putdowns hitting at immigrants have trademarked US presidential nominee Donald Trump 's campaign. All rights reserved @ Architectural Digest India 2023. The venue today is not only a vibrant spot for . Opinion. Work seems to go on as usual. Fareed Zakaria Education Zakaria was a student at the Cathedral and John Connon School in Mumbai, India. Other monikers for the museum's managing trustee and honorary director, by those who've worked with her are 'iron lady' and 'taskmaster'. Located at the entrance of the Museum, the office has large vinyl boards of its expansion plans resting on one of its walls. I have always listened to Bach or Vivaldi but after actually learning how to play the piano last year, I enjoy it so much more. ULTIMATE VISION/DREAM: Ive tried planning my life and realised that things are constantly changing. Tasneem Zakaria Mehta at Femina Women Awards. "Besides, I raise money from the Bajaj family. There was a whole statement being made. [10] She was the step-mother of 2 children. "Tasneem has assigned so much relevance and credibility to the museum that the best artists have lined up to show their work at BDL," says Jyotindra Jain, Indian art and culture historian and museologist. Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, curator of the ongoing exhibition Asymmetrical Objects, writes about how it visually addresses issues that plague modern society. The daughter of Rafiq Zakaria, wife of former Shell CEO and current chairman of Brookings India Vikram Mehta and sister of Fareed Zakaria Tasneem Zakaria Mehta has mentioned so many big names to me in the first 25 minutes of our conversation that I wonder if she knows any regular people. All rights reserved. Tata, Jayaprakash Narayan, and then prime minister Morarji Desai, Charan Singh. . This has resulted in the BMC sending her a six-month notice this year against established procedure. We have craft melas becausepeople love to shop and it helps the craftspeople as well. Curated newsletters on markets, personal finance, policy & politics, start-ups, technology, and more. tiny black tadpole looking bug in bathroom; ff14 plasmoid iron lake location; top 10 most dangerous areas in cape town; cockapoo rescue michigan; floris nicolas ali, baron van pallandt cause of death; I love working out to this music because theres so much energy or emotion in each song. "Our uniforms were not ready, but I was expected to dress formal. The Museum's schedule is packed. The interaction also depends on the artists, as some are very protective of their work and ideas, and others, mostly the younger ones, often need some guidance. To the left, Sagar Upvan (popularly known as the BPT garden) extends a green limb into the seacutting off the line of sight to noisy, busy Gateway of India. Tasneem Zakaria Mehta is an art historian, writer, curator, designer, and cultural activist. Mehta's next six months are quite busy. U.S. The house, too, feels like a throwback to a lost era. Register to attend the 2023 Art Curators Conference, offering in-person and virtual access. [5] She joined The Times of India in 1970 and rose through the ranks to become Sunday edition editor. Tasneem Zakaria Mehta: The Revivalist. View cookie policy. History repeats itself in different ways and by looking at the past we can perhaps reflect and understand the present better. We are planning an exhibition of the citys architecture and urban development, where more of these maps will be shown. With piles of books scattered everywhere, the large office of art historian Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, managing trustee and honorary director of Mumbai's Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum, looks eloquently cluttered. Copyright Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. [10] Collections [ edit] Basalt elephant sculpture from Elephanta Island The view itself is like a piece of art. Conservation architect Vikas Dilawari and co-conveyor of INTACH, who partners with Mehta on restoration projects, says their arguments are notorious. A silver replica of it was gifted to King George V and Queen Mary when they visited in 1911. Persistence is second nature to Mehta. "I am only focused on being successful at what I do; 90 per cent of the comments in our feedback book are positive. In 2003, Mrs. It was the engine driving the whole country. Whats their significance? BDL director Tasneem Zakaria Mehta says the public-private partnership between the Bajaj Group and the Mumbai authorities is what finally allowed the museum's restoration and conservation. Partner site: Zee News 1998-2022 Diligent Media Corporation Limited, All Rights Reserved. Perched on the eastern flank of Colaba, the apartment complex where Mehta lives feels like a Bombay from long ago. "I never get time to shop or get my sari blouses tailored," she laments. Read 15 years of Mumbai Mirror's journalism here. In another part of the Museum, there are huge stone wings with space in between for people to stand and get their portraits or selfies taken. Tasneem Mehta is an art historian, writer, curator, designer and museum expert. Walk of Life, an interactive game put up by Thukral & Tagra. In spite of the six-months' notice issued to her, Mehta does not seem worried at all. Part of the reason why we [at Bhau Daji] are successful is that we are private-public; and if we were completely private, we would have been 10 times more successful. The facial expressions of the models and the photographs are almost exact. Fatima Zakaria (17 February 1936 6 April 2021) was the editor of the Mumbai Times, and later the Sunday editor of The Times of India. It is very different to the normal path a museum treads. However, Mumbai's only city museum to win the UNESCO 2005 Asia Pacific Award of Excellence, one of her many accolades, is evidence that the 62-year-old gets things done. "Ma'am encourages us to study the objects. "I always came first in art at Cathedral & John Connon School and graduated in Fine Arts from JJ School of Arts," she says. Royalty-free Creative Video Editorial Archive Custom Content Creative Collections. Still more artworks sit packed away atop cupboards, stacked in her daughters room, and their other house in New Delhi, waiting their turn on the walls. Curatorial Director: Tasneem Zakaria Mehta 19 May 2022 - 04 Oct 2022 New Found Lands: The Indian Landscape from Empire to Freedom In collaboration with DAG Curated by Dr. Giles Tillotson Nov 27, 2021 - Apr 19, 2022 Birds of India: Company Paintings, c. 1800 to 1835 . Ive lived in a tribal village, interned in a foreign country, and travelled around Europe on my own. When they are in town, Mehta hyperventilates if they wear shorts or hail taxis at night. The couple's two daughters study abroad Malika, 27, is pursuing public policy at Harvard and 21-year-old Ahilya is at Wellesley College. She has been associated with diverse fields like journalism, social work . I miss the 'other' Tasneem, though I do catch a few glimpses in her rare, unguarded moments. Vaish, an alumni of Baroda's MS University, who has taught at the Delhi College of Art and Kamala Raheja before coming to BDL, points out that ideas such as the Movies@Museum or screening artist movies, which would typically have a long conception-to-execution time at other places, have been executed at BDL in no time. ALSO READ: Forging solidarities across differences: Nancy Adajania. Then you have to get into technical aspects, like the idea of form, the spatial aspect, the vocabulary that's used, etcetera. ", De refers to Mehta as 'steel magnolia' tough when required, sentimental at times and as beautiful as an intoxicating flower. She published her first novel recently. Please provide your consent for the following so that we can ensure that you have an enjoyable experience on our website. When she set out to refurbish the BDL plaza and its two cottages for the Guggenheim show in 2012, the civic administration didn't approve. All images have been provided by Open Magazine. "Having a high standard of excellence can be challenging for others. ", Tasneem Zakaria Mehta (Photo: Pradip Das/Express Archives). "I wore a six-pocket, three-fourth pair of shorts on my first day and got an earful," says Pawar. She received the award from President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam for her extensive work in the field of education. Veteran journalist Fatima R. Zakaria, the former Editor of the Sunday Times, Mumbai, and mother of renowned global media personality Fareed R. Zakaria, passed away here on Tuesday due to Covid. At dusk, all the fishing boats dock here; and its almost like Diwali, says Mehta. These tiffs, he says, are not embittered by ego, but intense personalities. Topics Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, Honorary Director of Mumbais Dr Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum and Vice-Chairperson of the Indian National Trust for Art and. With degrees from Delhi University in English Literature, Sir JJ School of Art in Textile Design, Christie's in London in Modern and Contemporary Art, and New York's Columbia University in Liberal Arts, among others, Mehta has been deeply immersed in her love for both art and writing throughout her life. They spend a lot of time here looking at our collection, archives, and meeting our curatorial team. ALSO READ: Woman is as Woman Does: An ode to womanpower. "This is why many of my best projects have been with her," concedes Dilawari. She is also geared up for new batches of the Post Graduate Diploma in Modern & Contemporary Indian Art & Curatorial Studies offered by the Museum, started under her aegis. With knowledge available on ones phone, for instance, how does one ensure museums still stay relevant? BDL actively engages with contemporary issues. The art historian and cultural activist says museums need to respond to contemporary culture. Theres not a stick of hand-carved, wooden furniture without an elegant spill of books on it; theres not a single blank wall. Otherwise, what's the point of doing all this?". Conceptualised, authored and edited by Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, the museums honorary director and managing trustee, and with entries co-authored by the museums staff, the book is co-published with Harper Design. I am also incredibly interested in womens empowerment. "She has created a jewel of a museum against daunting odds.". Museums are not only repositories of the past but an excellent environment for experimental, interdisciplinary learning. She has taken on more than I could ever actually imagine taking on and has still managed to commit herself to everything equally. Her status makes Desphande appear stuck in a time warp, older than some of the museum exhibits. The exhibition presented the works of ten contemporary artists whose practice includes an interest in nature and science or consumption and degradation as process and product, to respond to these ideas and . Mumbai News Live Updates: Congress Ravindra Dhangekar wins battle of prestige in Kasba; BJPs Ashwini Jagtap ahead in Chinchwad, BJP in talks to form govts in all 3 NE states, says development agenda beat Opp anti-minority claims against it, Extremely Compromised (EC) can become Extremely Competent (EC): Oppn reacts to SC CEC ruling, Year before polls, Odisha to start backward classes survey, sets July 12 deadline, https://images.indianexpress.com/2020/08/1x1.png, Our best subscription plan now has a special price, MHADA razes illegal structures freeing up nearly 9 acres of land in Mumbai. ", Writer and columnist Shobhaa De has been privy to Mehta's life, thanks to their four decade friendship. The second is Mansoor Zakaria, a former Silicon Valley entrepreneur who is now a partner in a wealth management firm. "The [party] MNS says 'This is against Maharashtrian culture.' 1998-2022 Diligent Media Corporation Limited, All Rights Reserved. Our book, Mumbai through Objects, attempts to engage audiences in a panoramic journey that helps make better sense of the present. Her foyer is now a shrine to feminism, with powerful artworks by Chitra Ganesh, Reena Saini Kallat and Dhruvi Acharya. Last year, it introduced a regular feature, Video Art, and earlier this year, Mehta introduced Movies at the Museum, which features screenings and informal interactions with filmmakers. But here we have to raise funds ourselves and funders will always ask how many people visit the museum." Mehta was not fazed. As an educated woman from a privileged background, I'm an easy target.". She squeezes in a little more than an hour to talk about her curatorial style, about her life at the Museum, and her plans for it over the second half of the year. While Zakaria hasnt reacted to the jab, his sister, Tasneem Mehta felt it seemed Coulter hadnt watched Zakarias program. What doesnt come with an artists name attached marks other milestones from the life of Tasneem Zakaria Mehta replica Louis XVI chairs from Christies London, from the time they lived there; verdigris-patinated scrollwork lamps from their two years in Egypt; ebony Chinese nesting tables and Burmese figurines; Krishna statues by a master craftsman from OrissaIts an art lovers utopia and every insurance companys nightmare. Since 2003, Mrs. Mehta is the Managing Trustee and Honorary . Tasneem Zakaria Mehta 5.00 2 ratings2 reviews Museum objects are time machines. Whats their significance? Edition. Vice-chairperson of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), and managing trustee and honorary director of the 145-year-old Dr Bhau Daji Lad museum in Mumbai, Tasneem Zakaria Mehta has often been credited with reviving Mumbai's oldest museum. All the top artists want to do exhibitions here. Being a good curator also requires a lot of looking around to train the visual eye, she says. Museum display has moved quite a distance from rows of glass cases but what is the present trend? Part of HuffPost News. "She is just a caretaker. BDL has already hosted exhibitions around this and will continue to engage with civic issues as well as questions around decolonisation, gender disparity, injustice and violence. The daughter of Rafiq Zakaria, wife of former Shell CEO and current chairman of Brookings India Vikram Mehta and sister of Fareed Zakaria Tasneem Zakaria Mehta has mentioned so many big names to me in the first 25 minutes of our conversation that I wonder if she . , she says not ready, but intense personalities love to shop or get my blouses! Only repositories of the present Mumbai, India located at the entrance of the models the! Older than some of the ongoing exhibition Asymmetrical Objects, attempts to engage audiences in foreign... 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