Ace fashion and jewellery designer, retailer and couturier Sabyasachi Mukherjee established The Sabyasachi Art Foundation in 2014 to enhance economic sustainability in the sphere of art and culture through initiatives like creative mentorship, skills enhancement, and commissioned projects.
Through the foundation he has been providing a nurturing environment for underprivileged fine artists from West Bengal, his home state. At the foundation they are equipped with essential resources to refine and develop their craft, including access to studio space, a stable source of income, mentorship programmes, and ongoing cultural exchange and dialogue.
“My larger vision for The Sabyasachi Art Foundation is to open galleries, where I can bring more focus to their work and make their art available and accessible. I want to make this a self-sustainable system for artists to be a part of, where they can find the space to not just train, hone and perfect their skills, but also make their art a livelihood,” Sabyasachi mentions on the foundations’s website.
Sabyasachi Mukherjee
A personal reason
The Sabyasachi Art Foundation is a son’s homage to his mother. Sabyasachi’s mother had been a talented and creative person but gave up a career as an artist.
I felt a lot of guilt when I began to realise that my mother, this indomitably strong and courageous woman, who helped shape my own creativity had to sacrifice her talent because of our lack of privilege and financial constraints. And so, The Sabyasachi Art Foundation was born.
Sabyasachi Mukherjee
Realising that fine art is under threat in India due to limited financial stability or prospects for artists from economically deprived communities, the designer set up the foundation. The Sabyasachi Art Foundation has been providing employment, security and capacity building opportunities. The for-profit initiative works as an artists’ collective on both commissioned and independent projects for brand Sabyasachi.
Local artists, global collaborations
From the restoration of vintage art to the creation of modern interpretations of Company Paintings, Qajars, and Mughal Miniatures, the local artists’ artistic endeavours are part of all Sabyasachi stores.
Their creative output extends to Sabyasachi’s prominent global partnerships as well, including Starbucks, H&M, Christian Louboutin, Pottery Barn, Asian Paints, Taj London, and The Animal Ball by The Elephant Family.
The local artists’ clay moulds, inspired by the flora and fauna of the Sundarbans, serve as models for gold casting in Sabyasachi High Jewellery collections. Their hand-painted artworks, offering original takes on historic botanicals and portraiture, have become signature prints featured on Sabyasachi clothing and accessories.
- To know more about The Sabyasachi Art Foundation visit its website
