«Nicholas Roerich: Eternal Quest»: an exhibition in the National Gallery of Modern Art (New Delhi)

Government of India celebrates Indo-Russian Cultural Relations by commemorating the State Visit of H.E. Mr. Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation to India with an exhibition «Nicholas Roerich: Eternal Quest» which is the joint project of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, the Embassy of the Russian Federation in India, the International Centre of the Roerichs (Moscow) and the National Gallery of Modern Art (New Delhi). Works of the great Master collected from the International Centre of the Roerichs (Moscow) and some leading museums of India.

The International Centre of the Roerichs is the only Russian museum which is participating in this joint project. The ICR presents at the exhibition 39 paintings by N. Roerich titled «Nicholas Roerich: Russia — India». Some paintings are representing the famous Himalayan series and some other belong to different periods of the artist's creativity. Painting «Skhimnik», painted by N. Roerich during his studies in the Academy of Arts of St. Petersburg belongs to the earliest period. And the first time it is exposed abroad.

The second decade of the 20th century was marked by the creation of quite a number of paintings which N. Roerich dedicated to the majestic beauty of the Russian North. This period is presented by pictures «Snake Charmer», «Karelian Landscape», «Rocks and Cliffs». Roerich showed through his canvases the life of ancient Slavs both from artistic and scientific points of view.

The foreign period of the artist's creative work before the Central-Asian expedition is remarkable for such canvases as «Forest language», «Mystic signs», and «Birds language» from the «Eastern dreams» series. Working on those series in London N. Roerich met with a great Indian poet R. Tagore. The painting is dedicated to India, which was interesting for the artist not only in creative but also in scientific terms. The exhibition also includes the portrait of N. Roerich created by his son Svyatoslav.

The Indian side presents at the exhibition 35 paintings by N. Roerich collected from National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, International Roerich Memorial Trust, Naggar, Bharat Kala Bhavan, Varanasi, Baroda Museum and Art Gallery, and Allahabad Museum.

In the opening of the exhibition took part Mr Jawhar Sircar, Secretary Ministry of Culture, who on behalf of the Indian Government expressed his heartfelt thanks to the ICR for participating in the project. In his welcome speech to the exhibition organizers Mr Sircar said that N. Roerich who became a living link between the East and the West, believed that Beauty as the main component of Culture gives peoples a great spiritual power and leads us to the heyday of the world community.

The opening ceremony was attended by A.V. Postnikov, President of the ICR, Honored Scientist of Russian Federation. In his interview with the Indian journalists he noted - «The space of the exhibition which is opening today united huge and unique worlds — the world of India with it's millennial refine and beautiful culture and the world of Russia with it's spiritual treasures and inexhaustible wealth. The Roerich Art exposes it's own spiritual depth. His paintings included in this exhibition is a potent magnet attractive for everyone who is open to Knowledge and Beauty, who appreciates the ultimate values of Life».

The exhibition opens at National Gallery of Modern Art, Jaipur House, India Gate, New Delhi from March 13, 2010 till April 11, 2010.