The Art Law Communion (ALC) is organising an “In Conversation With” session featuring Dr. Subha Majumdar, Superintending Archaeologist (ASI), Vadodara Circle. The topic of this session shall be “Paper to Practice: Heritage Conservation in the Trenches”.
ALC is envisioned as a leading platform for promoting interdisciplinary learning and discourse at the intersection of art and law. It seeks to advance a deeper understanding of art law through academic exploration, advocacy, and collaboration, while empowering the public to engage with critical legal issues affecting artists, collectors, cultural institutions, and the global art market. ALC is a space for deliberation and knowledge sharing, designed to equip the next generation of legal professionals with the expertise to navigate and shape the evolving landscape of art law in India, where such challenges remain underrepresented.
Its approach combines rigorous research with direct interaction across art communities, from gallery owners to street performers, ensuring access, awareness, and advocacy reach all corners of the creative economy. With stakeholders ranging from performers and photographers to museums and trustees, ALC plans activities such as digital resource databases, guest lectures, studio tours, moot courts, and legal aid initiatives.
Building on this vision, the upcoming session marks the launch of ALC’s first-ever event. Featuring Dr. Subha Majumdar, Superintending Archaeologist at the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), it aims to bridge theory and practice by exploring the ground realities of heritage conservation across India. The discussion will highlight how preservation laws operate in practice, the challenges faced by ASI officials, and the wider governance and policy questions shaping the protection of India’s cultural legacy.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Majumdar has led excavations at sites of immense historical significance, including Binjor, Chandraketugarh, and Bharatpur, and directed conservation works at Raigad Fort, Elephanta Caves, Solapur Fort, and Santiniketan. His involvement in preparing the World Heritage Dossier for Santiniketan, which secured UNESCO recognition, further shows his pivotal role in heritage preservation.
This interactive session will offer participants a rare insider’s view into the workings of the ASI, shedding light on the complexities of excavation, conservation, and legal protection. It promises to be a valuable opportunity to understand the realities of safeguarding India’s cultural heritage.
The session will be conducted online on August 26, 2025, at 7:00 PM (IST).
Interested participants are cordially invited to register through the form provided here. Please note that all registered participants will be provided with certificates on successfully attending the event.
Please find our brochure attached herein. Additionally, if the students are curious, passionate, or just beginning to explore this space, we invite them to join our mailing list here for future updates and opportunities.
They may also contribute their original ideas on Art Law to our very own substack page here by writing to us on our email (artlawcommunion@gmail.com).
