In all these years it has showcased a varied collection of contemporary Indian art, ranging from solo shows of major artists such as Rameshwar Broota, Ram Kinker Baij, Robin Mandal, Isha Mohammed, Suhas Roy, to name a few. Further, it has showcased talented artists like A. Ramachandran, Bose Krishnamachari, Jogen Chowdhury, Krishen Khanna, Seema Kohli, Thota Vaikuntham and more.
Genesis continues with its tradition of discovering new artistic talents, promoting emerging artists and exhibiting works of established artists. For us, there can be many ways of looking at Art, both as Art for Art’s sake and Art as a social statement or Art that takes a stand in the interest of humanity.
The Gallery has always worked to overcome the parochial approaches that had earlier been hampering the evolution of the Indian Art Scene and hopes to build the awareness needed for a non-sporadic and democratic representation of contemporary Indian Art on the International Art-stage.
Through its camps and group shows, the gallery has invited important artists from other centers of Indian and South Asian Art to Kolkata like Jatin Das, Jagdish Chander, Laxma Goud, Navjot, Vasundhra Tiwari, to name a few. The connectivity to major art centres such as Bharat Bhavan, Chola Mandalam, and Shanti Niketan has been pivotal to the success of Genesis and its sister concern Habiart, in the capital city of New Delhi. HUDCO has sponsored two major art camps with the gallery.
Amongst famous luminaries and eminent citizens who have visited and associated with the gallery are His Excellency, Viren J. Shah (former Governor of the Indian State of West Bengal), Lady Ranu Mukherjee, Her Excellency Selja Kumari (Minister of Culture, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation), Beth Payne (U.S. Consul General In Kolkata), Russian Consul General, Rakhi Sarkar, Amla Shankar, Sarla Birla to name a few.
The Gallery has not limited itself to the confined spaces of it’s four walls. It has taken part in the India Art Summit, New Delhi as well as held an art auction along with its sister Foundation in aid of Charity for Help Age India. Genesis has collaboratively showcased Art Fairs in New Delhi attended by His Excellency Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia (Minister of State, Ministry of Commerce and Industry) and Honorable Dr Karan Singh, ICCR. On an international platform, Genesis has held exhibitions along with Habiart Foundation at The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore, Art Camps at Los Angeles to name a few.
Genesis Gallery is now reinventing itself under the guidance of its Curator Isha Mody Patodia. As the Curator, Isha brings to Genesis a fresh and youthful look at the way business is done in today’s multinational interactive scenario.
Rekha Mody
Rekha Mody, social worker and activist is committed to Women Empowerment, working actively in SAARC & ASEAN Countries. A networking expert, she believes that collective thought and action can move mountains.
She established Genesis Book Shop in Kolkata in 1978, which she later converted into Genesis Gallery, home to some of the best artworks. She introduced Sotheby’s, the first art auction house to India in 1992. She also started the first FM radio station, Radio Network, in Kolkata in 1994.
As a sponsoring body, Garutman was established to promote and publish very fine regional Indian literature. One of the success stories is Separate Journeys, a collection of short stories by eminent women writers (first Indian edition, edited by Geeta Dharmarajan, in 1993; London edition, published by Mantra Publishing Ltd., in 1993; American edition published by University of South Carolina Press, in 2004; and Terah Halafname, a Hindi Edition, translated by eminent writer Alka Saraogi, to be published in 2021). A publication of the play: Viddyottama, in 2007, involved the searching for the identity of Viddyottama in the writings of Maha kavi Kalidasa, 4th century.
Aditi Mody
Aditi was the Former Executive Director of the UChicago Center in India Private Limited (2016-2020) where she worked closely with the University of Chicago’s academic and administrative leaders, to support University of Chicago initiatives, develop and expand academic collaborations and foster collaborative programming and policy engagement in India and South Asia.
Prior to above Aditi was the Founder Country Director for India with the US-India Business Council (USIBC) at the US Chamber of Commerce till 2011. At USIBC, Aditi was responsible for establishing the India office of the Council and growing the commercial and strategic bilateral partnership by leading charge on bilateral policy advocacy issues for USIBC’s diverse membership with a variety of stakeholders across a range of sectors through deep stakeholder engagement, theme based research and practical on ground knowledge sharing.
Aditi currently serves on several leadership Boards including the Board of Trustees at the University of Chicago Trust in India; Technology for Equity and Justice (advocates for coding fellowships for students from marginalised communities) as well as the Habiart Foundation (dedicated to promoting contemporary Indian art)
She also served on Institute of International Education’s (IIE) Cargill Global Scholars Selection Committee (April 2021 and 2022) and was on the National Screening Committee for the Fulbright-Nehru CII Fellowship for Leadership Management (2010-2011).
In January 2006, she represented Indian contemporary artists at the prestigious World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting (Davos) and showcased a collection of contemporary art panels as part of the “ India Everywhere” campaign.
She holds a M.A. in International Relations from the University of Chicago (USA) and Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Bristol University (UK).
Isha Patodia
Isha Patodia, graduated with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Brunel University, United Kingdom.
A young Turk, she has international film-making exposure as she delved into the art of film making. She served as the assistant executive producer to a 3D documentary being made on the Kumbh Mela, working closely with director Catherine Owens and her team from Los Angeles.
Genesis Gallery was founded in 1985 by her mother Rekha Mody, when the very concept of art galleries and the promotion of Indian contemporary art and artists was very new. The creative melange of art and literature in her family environment nurtured Isha’s creativity. From a tender age of five, Isha began interacting with iconic artists. As years went by her interest in art blossomed into a heady passion. Isha’s soft, pleasant and keen demeanor made her a favorite with all connected with art. She presently serves as the curator and Director at Genesis Gallery, having done several successful art exhibits, camps, fairs and workshops in India and abroad.
She also showcases several renowned national and international luxury premium brands in the field of Fashion & Lifestyle. The venture was applauded by all and covered by leading tabloids.
Further, she has served as Chairperson for Young FICCI Ladies Organisation (2018-19). In her free time Isha enjoys playing the piano, calligraphy, travelling, learning, absorbing and creating new ideas along her journey.
Habiart Foundation
Habiart Foundation is a sister concern of Genesis Gallery and has been involved in the promotion of contemporary Indian art since 1989.
In the year 2001, Sphote, A Creative Protest Against Terror, was launched. The art works were exhibited in The Indian Parliament in 2002 and the exhibition later travelled to Davos World Economic Forum, Switzerland, India Everywhere, in 2006. Noteworthy art initiatives: Hello Monalisa (2004-2006), involving 12 artists, to celebrate 500 years of Mona Lisa, and Reliving Van Gogh (2015-1018): A café Exposition found both national and international collaboration. Additionally, the foundation arranged Art for Aged- A Charity Art Auction to support Help Age India in 2007. Other significant art events include works like White Nights’ etchings from Russia in 1992 and events like International SAARC Seminar on Art Perspective at ICCR in 2009 and India Splendour at Los Angeles in 2007 and at Singapore in 2008.
The Foundation prides itself on a comprehensive exhibitions program, drawing upon local and international sources to secure the finest collections available for public viewing. Through workshops, projects, seminars and art exhibitions Habiart has covered new areas.
Today the foundation is also at the forefront of Indian efforts to seen an intelligent dialogie with the arts of our region. The SAARC nations of Bangaladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Burma, Sri Landia and Maldives have a common cultural base and it has long been felt that the SAARC Art Forum to encourage inter cultural art exchanges is much needed. The national character of Habiart Foundations art efforts and its links with imporatant art centres across the country have been instrumental in its endeavor to bring awareness to the creation of such a forum. Art exchanges with Nepal and Bangladesh are already underway and links with other SAARC countries are being slowly developed.
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