Kolkata house of veteran artist Jamini Roy to be turned into museum: DAG

New Delhi: The house of veteran painter Jamini Roy at Ballygunge Place in south Kolkata will be turned into India's first private single-artist museum, announced Mumbai-based art gallery DAG.

The 75-year-old historical house, where Roy lived till his death in 1972, is acquired by DAG. It will be restored into a museum and cultural resource centre on the life, work and times of this pioneering artist. "In dedicating the Jamini Roy House Museum to the nation, the people of Bengal and all art lovers, we are ensuring the participation of people from all walks of life in this exercise," said Ashish Anand, CEO and managing director of DAG, terming the acquisition as the "single-most important project" undertaken by them in last three decades.

Born in 1887 in Bengal's Bankura district, Roy, one of India's earliest modernists, was awarded the Viceroy's gold medal in 1935, the Padma Bhushan in 1955, and elected a fellow of the Lalit Kala Akademi in 1956. He was also declared a National Treasure artist by the government of India in 1976. The museum, according to DAG, will be equipped with state-of-the-art galleries to house the permanent collection as well as rotating exhibitions, community spaces like a resource centre and a library, art workshops and event spaces, as well as a museum shop and café. In 1949, Roy and his family moved from their home Baghbazar, north calcutta, to the present location in Ballygunge Place.

The house, designed by the artist and his son Amiya Ray, was initially single storied, but as the family grew they designed and added new rooms and additional floors. He would display his works in several of the larger rooms. For example, the room on the right of the visitors' entrance was known as the 'Christ room' where he displayed his famous Christ series. Notably, visitors from around the world -- from former PM Indira Gandhi to pioneering artiste Uday Shankar -- would visit the house often to meet the artist, see his works and also buy artworks.

"We are delighted that DAG is sharing the legacy of my great grandfather's house as well as his art practice with the people of Bengal and art-lovers everywhere. He always wanted his art to reach the people and this is the ideal way to pay homage to him," said Arkamitra Roy, great granddaughter of Jamini Roy.