If there are great ideas being born I want to be part that”, Chadha 

The Kunsthal Rotterdam collaborates for the first time with art collector Rattan Chadha. Last week, 7th of February 2019, the art exhibition centre organized an official opening to present ‘Trouble in Paradise’, an extraordinary selection of contemporary art works from the private collection of Indian entrepreneur Rattan Chadha (1949, Delhi), the founder of Mexx and the hotel chain citizenM. This collection of artworks showcases his personal journey, that is still evolving. Chadha began his art collecting journey in the 1980’s starting from incidental purchases. From 2000 onwards, it shaped into full maturity, when he started visiting numerous art fairs, galleries, and museums with art curator Liesbeth Willems.

Thomas Hirschhorn, Clous-Mannequins (Colonne), 2006

Statement Art

Rattan Chadha has a good taste for statement art. The paintings and sculptures explore and reflect upon the complexity of humanity. They question the state of our society and inspire a sense of commitment to the world around us. At the heart of his collection is the human condition, with art that gets under your skin. From sex, drugs and rock ’n roll to deep melancholy and abstraction. The exhibition ‘Trouble in Paradise’ is arranged in three themes, ‘Soul Searching’, ‘Delicious Confusion’ and ‘Forever Young’, referring to the different stages in the development of Chadha’s art collection. “If there are great ideas being born I want to be part that”, Chadha.

Edward Lipski, 3 Chinese Gods, 2007

Up-and-Coming Talent

The entrepreneurial mindset of Rattan Chadha helps him to find and select art pieces from up-and-coming international talent. Chadha states that it’s not about the money that you can spend on the art piece, but the message or idea behind a piece that’s important. He especially has an eye for artists that incorporate new materials and new media in their work. “When you hear him talk about art he’s always searching, he’s curious and he wants to contribute to the creation of the pieces”, says art curator Liesbeth Willems. For Chadha finding the right piece of art that resonates with his soul is partly an adventure and partly a risk. Visit ‘Trouble in Paradise’ till May 26, 2019. For more information visit: www.kunsthal.nl 

Rafaël Rozendaal, Random Fear (with mirrors) (detail), 2019

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