Art for Humanity – A Unique Platform

Citizens for Justice and Peace and over 80 Indian Artists

The Art for Humanity Platform built to raise funds for Citizens for Justice and Peace and over 80 Indian artists through a fundraising association partnership has drawn an overwhelming response. AFH will exhibit its works at the Coomaraswamy Hall, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharasj Vastu Sanghralaya (formerly Prince of Wales Museum) from April 5-9, 2012. The aim of building this unique platform is to evolve a sustainable and strategic fund raising initiative to ensure a support base for CJP’s pioneering work in the area of legal rights and social justice. The Exhibition will have a Preview by Invite on April 5, 2012 between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m and will then be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. from April 6-9, 2012.

Leading artists are among the participants in this unique platform. Arpana Caur, Nilima Sheikh, Gulam Mohammed Sheikh, Atul Dodiya, Anju Dodiya, Anjolie Ela Menon, N Pushpamala, Kishor Shinde, Mithu Sen, Shilpa Gupta, Arunanshu Chowdhury apart from Pablo Bartholomew, Rahu Rai, Gauri Gill and Ram Rahman are some of the participating artists. (Entire List of Participating Artists is attached). We would be happy to share some of the images of the works on display with your esteemed publication. 

The right to life and the right to a life with dignity without discrimination are fundamental values on which modern republics have emerged. Yet a violation of these fundamental freedoms continue unabated and our region, despite its unique and varied history, remains afflicted with violence and conflict, often caused due to a denial of basic human rights. The politics of division and hatred, communalism, is a specific and corrosive threat to a life of equality and dignity. ‘Art for Humanity’ is a pioneering effort; a collaboration between artists, thinkers and activists towards promoting a culture of human rights and dignity. An Exhibition of selected modern and contemporary art from India in later years even from South Asia, ‘Art for Humanity’ will raise funds to promote a culture of rights and dignity, ensure justice and also benefit victim survivors of violence and injustice.  

‘Art for Humanity’ is a creation of an association of partners formed with the specific aim of raising funds for the Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) Mumbai, a pioneering initiative of citizens that has striven hard to battle injustice and promote a culture of human rights. Freedom to dissent and a life free of discrimination have been CJP mission mantras. Tenacity and purpose have guided its work, be it the promotion of justice in Gujarat or a life free from terror in Mumbai or Kashmir. Curating the Exhibition for the Exhibition is Kria Creative Art Consultants, Mumbai. Kria is a think tank for the arts to conceptualise new ways of thinking about the world we live in and art’s role within it. 

CJP now proposes to use its decade long experience to promote the idea of justice and peace throughout India and the region. Operationalising and curating the initiative along with the Citizens for Justice and Peace is Kria – Creative Art Consultants, shares a sensibility towards the preservation of human rights. The late Vijay Tendulkar was the Founder President of CJP. Among CJP’s prestigious and dedicated Board of Trustees are I. M. Kadri, our President and other Trustees being Alyque Padamsee, Cyrus Guzder, Nandan Maluste, Anil Dharker, Javed Akhtar, Rahul Bose, Javed Anand, Cedric Prakash, Ghulam Pesh Imam, Arvind Krishnaswamy and Teesta Setalvad, also its main functionary/Secretary. 

Given this unique effort at building a sustainable platform between artists and the cause that the charitable trust represents, we urge that you devote some time and space to give adequate coverage to the proposed Exhibition Event. Any Inquiries can be made with Alice Fernandes at 91-22-2660/2288/26603927, Mobile: 09870900330 and also at 09821314172.