The fascinating history of Air India’s collection of art dates back to the year 1956. A young graduate of Mumbai’s JJ School of Art approached the Air India’s art department and proposed the company to buy some of her paintings of Indian women and the officials there agreed. The artist was the now well-known B Prabha, and her paintings include the works of legends such as MF Husain and VS Gaitonde.
Eventually, the artworks were printed on the menu cards distributed among the passengers. They would even go on to decorate the airline’s booking office in London, a trend that spread to its outposts across the world. Moreover, between 1956 and the mid-2000s, the company also obtained scores of textiles, sculptures, wooden carvings, glass paintings, and other objects- all of which it used in order to present India to the world as a society steeped in culture.
Apart from B Prabha, Air India has accumulated over four thousand paintings by artists such as KA Ara, Anjolie Ela Menon, Arpana Caur. The airline also has a collection of sketches that were made exclusively for it by renowned Goan cartoonist Mario Miranda.
There are stone sculptures dating back to the ninth century, woodwork, decorative friezes, a collection of exquisite clocks. There is also a costume collection called ‘Paridhanika’, comprising Kanjeevaram, Paithani, Baluchari sarees as well as patolas, pashminas and dresses showcasing intricate zardozi work.
23/07/18 Binita Punwani/Media India Group
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Eventually, the artworks were printed on the menu cards distributed among the passengers. They would even go on to decorate the airline’s booking office in London, a trend that spread to its outposts across the world. Moreover, between 1956 and the mid-2000s, the company also obtained scores of textiles, sculptures, wooden carvings, glass paintings, and other objects- all of which it used in order to present India to the world as a society steeped in culture.
Apart from B Prabha, Air India has accumulated over four thousand paintings by artists such as KA Ara, Anjolie Ela Menon, Arpana Caur. The airline also has a collection of sketches that were made exclusively for it by renowned Goan cartoonist Mario Miranda.
There are stone sculptures dating back to the ninth century, woodwork, decorative friezes, a collection of exquisite clocks. There is also a costume collection called ‘Paridhanika’, comprising Kanjeevaram, Paithani, Baluchari sarees as well as patolas, pashminas and dresses showcasing intricate zardozi work.
23/07/18 Binita Punwani/Media India Group
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