As India has been on lockdown for 66 days Abhishek Poddar, Founder of India’s Museum of Arts and Photography (MAP), has spent his time trying to bring the world together – digitally.
Over 1000 flowers have been submitted from around the world to MAP’s Bouquet of Hope. Some were drawn or painted, others photographed their garden or a motif from fabric. Flowers — symbols of courage, love, and life — are messages we all need now more than ever.
For his parents 25th wedding anniversary in 1989, MAP Founder Abhishek Poddar surprised them with an art installation of 25 flowers. Well-known artists from India created a single flower, one for each year of his parents’ married life together, in the artist’s own inimitable style. Each image reminds them of a fond moment, “at times like these, we hold on to precious memories – of family times, of challenges we managed to overcome, of personal journeys we ventured on” said Abhishek. That’s why Abhishek was inspired to build the world’s largest Bouquet of Hope.
Flowers can still be submitted here. You can also use the site to send a loved one a free virtual bouquet made from your favorite flowers (for their Birthday, Father’s Day or any other special occasion). Use #BouquetofHope and tag @MAPBangalore when posting on social media channels.
Artist: Djena Sunawala
Artist: Vinita Chaitanya
Artist: Jay Levenson
About MAP
The Museum of Art & Photography (MAP) is a new museum being built in Bangalore, the Silicon Valley of India. It will be among India’s very first major private art museums, with a goal to share India’s artistic heritage while also igniting a new modern museum culture. MAP connects India’s past, present, and future by showcasing historical artifacts alongside modern and contemporary works, folk art, textiles, painting, sculpture and photography. The MAP collection currently has more than 18,000 works ranging from the 12th Century to the present day. The first 7000 objects and the first six million dollars were donated by Abhishek Poddar.
