The Hindu Business Line : Blending the best of business with art

WHEN business meets arts, it brings about a convergence with a difference. This gets interestingly blended when business managers and future management leaders take to art — understanding its nuances, interfacing with a cross-section of artistes to leverage the power of alternative thinking and stimulate aesthetic sensibilities.

Every year, the Indian School of Business hosts `Business and Arts - Creativity beyond thought leadership programme' where an impressive array of artistes share insights into their art with the ISB community.

Paresh Maity, one of India's renowned artists, unveiled his painting where ISB hosted him as the `Artist in Residence' this year. Over the last few days he worked in the ISB campus, while interacting with the student community, to create `Admiration.'

Says Paresh Maity of his time at the ISB, "The peaceful surroundings and charged atmosphere here helped me create `Admiration' - a representation of the love and harmony between man and woman that I have long been wanting to create. As I worked, it was certainly encouraging to observe the keen interest of the students and their families, not only in my work but also in the art world in general."

Art curator Vikram Sethi says, "This is just the beginning of our journey in blending the best of business with art. No other B-school in the country has an initiative of this kind. The ISB has recognised the underlying creativity that is common to both business and the arts." Sethi has been instrumental in conceptualising and working with ISB to make this programme a success over the last three years.

This year's line-up of participating artistes included painter Navjoth Altaf, art critic and collector managing one of the leading art galleries in Mumbai, Phiroza Godrej, a chemical engineer turned filmmaker, Nagesh Kukunoor, noted photographer, Ashok Salian and Bharatanatyam exponent, Rajeshwari Sainath. As it turned out, this was a meeting with a difference where management students had a brush with art.

Ashok Salian took time off his busy schedule to conduct a photography workshop. Commenting on the Business and Arts programme, he said, "It is wonderful to see how keen these students are to be involved in initiatives of this kind. If I had the opportunity to interact with artistes of this calibre during my college days, I would have realised much earlier my calling to photography."

The `Business & Arts' programme has now entered the third year generating a lot of enthusiasm among the artist and student community. Vikram Sethi says this initiative stimulates creative thinking amongst B-school students through arts and is in keeping with the global practices of a truly international school. Drawing a parallel with what British Petroleum does in supporting an art school, he said such initiatives go a long way in popularising and creating awareness among future leaders.

More Stories on : Arts & Crafts | Music & Dance

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Heart Express on kids track

Be careful with your Outlook

Blending the best of business with art

Laughing to health