Lok Sabha MP and chairperson of People for Animals (PFA) Maneka Gandhi has her hands full with two back-to-back exhibitions. The first, featuring ceramic platters, comprises work of 200 of India’s top potters, will be on display from Friday. The second show, kickstarting on September 8 will display 100 rare Jamawar shawls collected from distinguished Kashmiri families living in the Valley.
“ This is part of my effort to raise funds every year and the money is used to fund 35 veterinary hospitals across the country. Ten of these animal hospitals are located in the NCR region alone. It is unfortunate that companies, as part of their Corporate social responsibility (CSR), show little interest in supporting an effort that provides succour and relief to our animal population,” said a slightly harried Gandhi who is personally overseeing the hanging of all these hand-painted ceramic plates.
Ms Gandhi, a strong lobbyist for animals rights, is determined that PFA, India’s largest animal welfare organisation, start an animal centre in every district.
“Unfortunately, the money earned from these shows goes faster than it comes,” she says candidly.
Ms Gandhi has over the years created a niche by holding path-breaking iconoclastic art shows at rock bottom prices.
Some years ago, Ms Gandhi managed to persuade India’s top 15 artists to part with nearly 1,000 of their art works, each of which was sold at a breathtakingly low price of `40,000.
Another off beat idea was to have paintings transformed into a kaleidoscope of limited edition carpets which also proved to be a knockout.
“We keep our prices low — always well under the market. And that makes it affordable for people across all cross sections. Last year, we did a limited edition of porcelain mugs and sold 14,000 mugs,” she said.
“I find artists much easier to deal with. I also try not to do mainstream stuff which is why I have done photography, oleographs, lithographs and pottery. The idea is to bring in a new form of art,” she explains.
This year too, Ms Gandhi has roped in well-known artists, including Vinod Daroz, Yogesh Mahida, Jyoti Bhatt and Rini Dhumal.
“It has taken me about eight months to put this show together. Most of these artists have spent months experimenting with shapes and sizes using an abundance of diverse and deeply thought out colours and designs,” she added.
Ms Gandhi recently intervened in a PIL filed by Mumbai-based Animals and Birds Charitable Trust to seek a ban on horse-drawn Victorias in Mumbai determined as she is to prevent further cruelty and death of horses on Mumbai roads.
Ms Gandhi pointed out that her efforts had led to a ban on horse carriages in Delhi and had resulted in rehabilitation of the horse carriage operators by the Delhi government. She suggested that a similar scheme be adopted in Mumbai.
Ms Gandhi is also extremely disturbed by the growing quantity of beef which she claims is being exported.
“In my own constituency of Bareilly, hundreds of cows are being slaughtered but there is little I can do to prevent it,” she says regretfully.