Students from Badhir Bal Vikas Kendra, Kota

Career orientation programme in Museum field #BehindTheScenesInAMuseum

A museum is a cultural space; pooling together people from different walks of life, and have them join in and partake of their shared heritage. There is, however, much more to a museum than what meets the eye. Behind perfectly functional, thriving gallery spaces, and well-conserved heritage structures that at times house museums, there are many professionals that strive day-in and day-out to make things possible and running, for the visitors.

The workshop #BehindTheScenesInAMuseum, held on 22nd November, 2019, acted as a career orientation programme to acquaint our young audience, in the age groups 15-17 years, to their cultural heritage and the art of the region, and the varied possibilities that lie in the field of museums, and the art and heritage sector, from a career point of view. Participants for this workshop were from the Maharana Mewar Public School. The age-specific target audience was decided keeping in mind that the participants are at a stage where they will be venturing out and choosing a career path.

The participants were provided entry to otherwise exclusive parts of The City Palace Museum, Udaipur. Ms. Chelsea Santos, Assistant Curator, provided a gallery walkthrough of the Bhagwat Prakash Gallery that houses some of the finest Mewar paintings.

During her session, she emphasized on the importance of these paintings as a source while at the same time highlighting how they were made,

the narrative style and features, the studios in which the artists worked, the patrons who enthusiastically supported these projects and much more. A very interesting hunt for characters in the painting was followed post this tour. This activity acted as an art-appreciation, fun activity to engage the youngsters while also encouraging them to look and appreciate the art.

Part two of this activity was conducted at the west-wing of Lakshmi Chowk, Zenana Mahal. Students were provided with colours and pencils, and asked to recreate or re imagine the character-sketches provided to them, in an altogether different setting; as if they were the artists in the studio, working together under the leadership of a head. The activity served a dual function; acquainting the participants to the idea of a royal studio and secondly, encouraging them to use their own creativity.

Gallery walk through on Mewar Paintings in the collection

The young artists' Studio - Drawing Activity