Air India displays its treasure trove of arts, artefacts amid disinvestment woes

AI owns thousands of artefacts that are present not just in India, but overseas as well. And so, collating these from world over hasn’t exactly been trouble free. Das, along with Uttara Parikh, former commercial director of advertising and product development at AI, began by numbering, photographing, assembling and finally, storing the artefacts that the airline owned. For a brief period, the articles had found a home in the 18^th floor of the national carrier’s headquarters at Nariman Point, but not anymore.

Sources of AI’s paintings are multiple; A few were commissioned, some purchased. Art enthusiasts would know that Gaitonde -- a quintessential and low profile Mumbaikar and Raza, who lived in France for many years, are among the most illustrious of Indian painters who were known all over the world. And the artworks were not just limited to their original medium – they were replicated into in-flight menus, calendars, coasters, aircraft interiors and so much more.

The airline’s booking offices overseas were built keeping in mind the rich culture of India. Thus, being ‘glocal’ was something they always pursued. Perhaps the message JRD Tata wanted to give was to find art even beyond just paintings. It is thence, perhaps the only company in the world to have their mascot replicated on things, as minute as even a matchstick.

B Prabha’s Peacock, formerly kept in London’s booking office was in fact, only a single-headed peacock. It was positioned opposite a mirror to accentuate.

Can price tags be put on such art objects?  Perhaps no. “It is difficult to gauge the price of these works of arts,” says Meera Das, curator of the show. Unfortunately, one doesn’t know the fate of this rich heritage, if and when the carrier is sold off.

Air India’s air hostesses changed the way Indian women viewed themselves. Hai, one of the airline’s oldest air hostesses shares her collection of drapes, which at some point was the official attire for the air hostesses.

For all those who have been, at some point of time, associated with the Tatas or the Air India family, the exhibition will escort you into a different era. The exhibition will remain open till February 17.