How Bengaluru houses beauty

On the occasion of the recently-concluded World Art Day we look at some of the museums in Bengaluru

April 15, the birthday of Leonardo da Vinci was chosen as World Art Day in 2012, by the International Association of Art to honour creativity. Perhaps best known for his paintings, Da Vinci was a polymath — prolific as an architect, engineer, theorist and scientist.

A look at art galleries in Bengaluru that house permanent collections:

A beautiful, 100-year old mansion houses the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in Bengaluru. Established in 2009, under the leadership of Priyanka Mary Francis who took over as director last year, there has been a marked change in NGMA’s social media presence. Apart from their recently renovatedauditorium, NGMA boasts a public art reference library and a museum shop. Workshops, seminars, film screenings and guided walks are some of the activities NGMA holds throughout the year.

While their permanent collection covers various periods, from Indian miniatures and colonial artists to the Bengal School and post-independence artists, the gallery is currently hosting Sanhita, showcasing the Air India Collection — a treasure trove of works celebrating the airline’s cultural history, as well as a retrospective of Kolkata-based artist Amitabh Sengupta.

NGMA is at Manikyavelu Mansion, Palace Road, Vasanth Nagar

Founded in 2003, under the leadership of Gitanjali Maini, Gallery G partners with the Sandeep & Gitanjali Maini Foundation and Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation. They have made a name for themselves with their collection of art works and antiquities.

The gallery is currently hosting The Masters and The Modern 2025 - South Edition, an exhibition that shines a spotlight on the works of over 40 South Indian masters. An immersive multisensory experience inspired by the diary of C Raja Raja Varma, younger brother, co-artist, and assistant to Raja Ravi Varma, is also on display at the gallery. Call 70224-43338 to book a slot.