Mumbai: Mumbai’s J J School of Art will soon get a state-of-the-art museum that will not only showcase over 3,500 rare paintings, but also house art galleries to allow budding artists to display their work. The project, pegged at a tentative budget of Rs 28.7 crore, will feature an archives section with climate-controlled vaults and research stations for digitised and physical collections too. The de novo university has now appealed to all its alumni to support the project through individual philanthropy or their corporate social responsibility funding. The Jindal Foundation has already expressed interest in funding the project, said govt sources. The proposed three-storey building has received a nod from higher education minister Chandrakant Patil.Leaking roofs, mould proliferation and erosion, which have threatened the historic structures on the campus and the maintenance of the recently ‘rediscovered’ rare paintings at the dean’s bungalow, have sparked concerns among artists, alumni, and former faculty, said Sir J J University of Art, Architecture and Design’s vice-chancellor (in-charge) Prof Rajanish Kamat. He added these experts have warned monsoon humidity could accelerate the damage to both buildings and the artefacts, which has underscored the need to build the museum.Rajiv Mishra, principal, Sir J J School of Architecture, said any new building that comes up on a heritage campus will have to follow the BMC’s heritage committee guidelines. “Since JJ is a heritage campus, we cannot exceed 24 metres of height for the museum. For the design, the minister has recommended holding a competition,” he said.The ground floor of the museum, which is likely to come up behind the main building, will house a temperature-and-humidity-controlled art gallery (maintaining 20-22 degree Celsius and 40-50% humidity) to protect the rare paintings from Mumbai’s climate. A modern auditorium, next to the gallery, will host lectures, exhibitions, and events. Kamat said, “Stringent security measures will be implemented, including biometric access, 24/7 CCTV, motion sensors, and tailored fire-suppression systems to safeguard priceless artefacts, as there have been concerns over theft and environmental risks.” The project draws inspiration from global institutions like the Louvre, adapted to J J’s unique context. Kishor Ingale, director, Directorate of Art, said, “We want people to visit the museum to see the rare paintings we have… Though one organisation has shown interest in funding the project, nothing has been finalised yet. We wish to make an appeal to all our alumni and industries to come forward and support the project,” said Ingale, adding the art galleries will also help students from underprivileged backgrounds showcase their work.Some of the rare works that were recently ‘rediscovered’ include Raza’s landscapes, Gaitonde’s abstract experiments, Dhurandhar’s vivid Mumbai scenes, and 25-30 sculptures, each with their value pegged in crores, are undergoing cleaning and cataloguing.
