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15 years of KNMA: The shape-shifting museum
Summary
As the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art turns 15, founder Kiran Nadar reflects on the different forms a museum can take
In 2010, when art collector and philanthropist Kiran Nadar opened her eponymous museum, the idea of a private museum dedicated to modern and contemporary art was a novel one for India. Back then, not-for-profit art foundations set up by collectors, patrons and artists—Devi Art Foundation, Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art, JSW Foundation and Khoj Studios, to name a few—to encourage collaboration and exchange were just taking baby steps. The Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, or KNMA, became an integral part of this landscape as one of the first private museums in the country.
The museum—spread across two spaces in Saket, Delhi, and Noida, Uttar Pradesh—was a result of Nadar’s fascination with art. Both in her collecting style and the programming at the museum, Nadar has displayed an unconventional attitude. She surprised everyone by picking Rameshwar Broota’s Runners, a monochrome depicting a nude male torso, early in her collecting journey. Early on at KNMA, in 2014, she and director-chief curator Roobina Karode put together a three-part retrospective of Nalini Malani, You Can’t Keep Acid in a Paper Bag, the first time the artist’s vast oeuvre and her engagement with video art was showcased.
The focus on strong practices, especially of women artists, continued with shows of Nasreen Mohamedi, Arpita Singh, Anupam Sud, Zarina, Mrinalini Mukherjee and Jayashree Chakravarty. In recent years, themed exhibitions such as MIRROR/ MAZE: Echoes of Song, Space, Spectre and The Elemental You—the first in a series on the practice of South Asian diaspora artists curated by Akansha Rastogi—have considered different aspects of the ecological and sociopolitical stimuli around us.
Over the last few years, the museum has expanded its scope from the visual arts alone to performing arts as well. The programming has also moved beyond the museum space to venues such as Delhi’s Sunder Nursery, a park that is home to six World Heritage tomb-gardens dating back to the 16th century, and is buzzing with picnicking families during winter.
The second edition of the Legacy series, focusing on multigenerational and hereditary performers, was held on 31 January at Triveni Kala Sangam and featured sarangi maestro Murad Ali Khan. The inaugural edition of its Theatre Festival was held at Sunder Nursery in September with a line-up of plays about sexuality such as Talki and Project Darling, puppet theatre in The Nights, and the complex albeit engaging performance of Be-Loved.
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As KNMA celebrates the 15th anniversary of its founding with a retrospective of Gulammohammed Sheikh, titled Of World Within Worlds, Kiran Nadar, founder and chairperson, reflects on the different forms a museum can take and her roadmap for the next 10 years. Edited excerpts from an interview:
In 15 years of KNMA, has there been a shift in the way people perceive and engage with museums?
When we started, a museum-going culture wasn’t common in India. In our little ways, we’re working to change that. Through school tours, workshops and diverse programming, the aim is to make art relatable and welcoming. Collaborations across fields have helped us create experiences that resonate with people from all walks of life. It’s deeply fulfilling to see families, students and first-time visitors engaging with art, finding connections and returning with enthusiasm. What brings me the greatest joy is knowing that KNMA is playing a part in democratising art in India, turning it into a shared cultural experience rather than an exclusive privilege.
Museums have now taken different forms across India, be it theme-specific, small-format or mobile ones. What changes have you noticed in this space?
The museum landscape in India has evolved significantly, embracing diverse formats to connect with a broader audience. Traditional museums, once known for conventional, object-centric displays, have evolved to include thematic and niche discourses that focus on specialised subjects. This shift not only allows for a deeper exploration of India’s rich cultural heritage but also caters to the growing demand for more personalised and immersive experiences.
One of the most impressive shifts is the rise of experiential and participatory formats, inviting visitors to engage directly with exhibits through interactive technologies or hands-on workshops. For instance, mobile museums that travel to schools and communities have become a remarkable way to democratise art and culture. Similarly, smaller community-focused museums emphasise hyper-local narratives, creating intimate and immersive experiences that resonate deeply with their audiences. The emphasis on audience participation has transformed museums from being repositories of objects into spaces of dialogue and education.
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In the digital age, how can museums stay relevant and engage viewers?
I’m particularly inspired by how museums are blending technology with traditional curating methods. At KNMA, we’ve embraced digital art forms and immersive exhibition models in our programming.
Take, for instance, our recently concluded exhibition, The Rooted Nomad: M.F. Husain, in Venice, presented alongside the 60th edition of La Biennale di Venezia. This dual-format independent project—part exhibition and part immersive experience—became a major highlight, blurring the lines of time and space while addressing themes like migration, identity, and belonging. Also, through AI-generated art, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR), we’ve been able to create multisensory environments that invite deeper audience engagement and foster a sense of participation.
How are you taking programming out of the museum space and making it more multidisciplinary?
Our foray into performing arts two years ago was a natural extension of the mission to break barriers of space and disciplines. The Theatre Festival, with its theme Power of Vulnerability highlighted ideas, languages, productions and collectives that were in some way marginalised. Emerging artists were presented alongside highly accomplished ones. We continue to build on initiatives like the Legacy series, which honours artistic families and their contributions, the Centre Stage Festival that highlights emerging talent, and KNMA in the Park at Sunder Nursery, which brings art into public spaces to engage diverse audiences.
What is your roadmap for the next decade?
I imagine a space where the boundaries between audiences and art dissolve—a place where everyone feels welcome, whether they are lifelong art enthusiasts or someone encountering art for the very first time. The new KNMA building in the National Capital Region set to open in the next three-four years, will be the heart of this vision. It’s more than just a physical space—it’s a symbol of our commitment to making art accessible and relevant to people’s lives. With state-of-the-art galleries, performing arts venues, and spaces dedicated to education and community engagement, it will serve as a platform for larger exhibitions, international collaborations and multidisciplinary experiences.
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