HONG KONG.- M+, the new museum of visual culture of the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD), announces the acquisition of the painting S. S. Rajputana leaving the port of Bombay – 29th August 1931 by the contemporary Indian artist Atul Dodiya. The purchase was made possible by the Brown Family Annual Acquisition Fund.

Now in its second year, the fund was established by Hong Kong-based philanthropist and artist Rosamond Brown. The HKD 5m fund is split over a decade to provide the opportunity for M+ to acquire work at Art Basel in Hong Kong for the museum’s growing collection. This year’s jury consisted of Doryun Chong, Chief Curator, M+; Lesley Ma, Curator, Ink Art, M+; Joselina Cruz, Director, Museum of Contemporary Art and Design, Manila; and Mika Yoshitake, Assistant Curator, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington D.C.

M+ has been steadily building up its collection. Currently, it houses over 4,000 works, encompassing the disciplines of visual art, design and architecture, and moving image. Construction of M+, WKCD’s second flagship art and cultural facility that is dedicated to visual culture of the 20th and 21st century, aims to be completed in 2018. M+ firmly believes that the completed museum will not be just a building: it will embrace the relationship between the content and the audience. The current team of 40 staff, 22 of whom are curators, have been working on numerous exhibitions, learning and education activities focusing on building broad public consciousness about the museum locally and internationally.

Doryun Chong, Chief Curator at M+ said, "M+ is thrilled to acquire this first work by Atul Dodiya, one of the most important Indian artists working today, for our growing collection. Art Basel Hong Kong is a singular event that brings top-notch international contemporary works to one place, and the Brown Family Annual Acquisition Fund is a fantastic initiative that sharpens our search for best works for the M+ Collection. We have been gradually expanding our purview to include South and Southeast Asia. Dodiya is a perfect addition to the collection in that regard.

Rosamond Brown, added, “Hong Kong has been alive with cultural activity over the past week. With all the events happening, I can see the growing appetite for the arts in Hong Kong. The M+ curatorial team has already established an interesting and diverse collection, which they will continue to build up. I am delighted that our family is able to play a part in helping the museum with its collection and Hong Kong’s future world-class arts and culture district.”