JOIN USThe State Cabinet on Thursday approved setting up an art museum at Russian artist Svetoslav Roerich’s Tataguni estate in Bengaluru.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Law Minister T B Jayachandra said Rs 25 crore had been sanctioned for the construction of a world-class museum at the estate spread over 456 acres on Kanakapura Road.
The museum will display around 240 paintings of the Russian artist. It will also have art galleries, an exhibition hall, auditorium, theatre for screening short films and a workshop area.
Basically, it will be modelled on the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
The estate has been under the control of the State government since 1996 and is being run by the Roerich and Devikarani Roerich Estate Board.
Roerich and Devikarani lived in the Tataguni estate till her death in 1994. The government took over the estate in November 1996.
Roerich & Devika Rani Roerich Estate Board chief executive officer Manu Baligar said the structures to house the museum and other buildings may require one acre of the 25 acres meant for the project.
“The art complex will have accommodation for artists who would attend training programmes. While there will be a permanent hall to exhibit the paintings of Roerich, there will be exhibition halls for artists to conduct their shows. There are plans to have studios,” he added.
Asked how many trees would have to be axed or trimmed, Baligar said a handful of trees may have to be chopped. The chief minister has already sanctioned Rs four crore, he pointed out.
Baligar said the commissioner of archeology and museum had been entrusted with the work of developing the museum.