Book Description

This thesis reconsiders public-private partnership as a preferred format of institutional arrangement in creating a credible platform to display contemporary art in India. Public-private partnerships have been successful as a mechanism to develop physical infrastructure since it was first introduced in 1996 to India. This thesis sheds light on how a contractual relationship has been successfully appropriated onto the cultural sector, especially to display modern and contemporary art. My thesis looks beyond the debate of 'public good, and private bad," instead it sheds light on the importance of the private initiatives in creating cultural infrastructure for the city of Mumbai. The private counterparts of the partnerships are identified as the groups of professional citizens, who use their intellectual, social and economic background to form partnerships to produce these alternative art spaces. The actions of the private citizens are observed as a counter effect of the economic liberalization of India. In this thesis, I take a closer look at the three heterogeneous art space in Mumbai that has been restored like Bhau Daji Lad City Museum, repurposed like Kala Ghoda Art District and redeveloped like Mumbai's International Airport under a public-private partnership. These art spaces represent; how the private partners take advantage of government policies in producing a public-private partnership under the platform of contemporary art.