The future KMoMA will appear in the new suburb of Rajarhat. Despite its status as the country's capital from the mid-19th century to 1911 and its preserved position as an important cultural center, Kolkata has not yet boasted a large museum building - especially dedicated to contemporary art. In fact, India has only one such public museum - the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi with branches in Mumbai and Bangalore.
At the same time, the artistic life in Kolkata is very active, so the project of the museum has become an urgent problem: it was conceived in 2003, and this summer it was approved by the leadership of the state of West Bengal, the capital of which is the city. Its budget will be $ 90.5 million, and the opening is scheduled for 2015.
The 9-storey building is a pyramidal composition of rectangular blocks, reminiscent of the abstract image of ancient oriental architecture; it is planned to use ornamental decor based on local artistic traditions on the facades and in the interior. The museum has an area of approx. 7,000 m2 will have 44 halls, an auditorium, a library, an amphitheater for 1,500 spectators, a restoration center, art workshops, as well as cafes and shops.
Among the exhibits will be presented not only Indian art of the 19th and 21st centuries, but also works by masters from Europe, Western Asia and the Far East.
N. F.
