"Indian artists Ram Sutar and Anil Sutar are working with The Itinerant Museum of Art to create a Gandhi monument for Davos to make the Mahatma the 'Spirit of Davos' as approved by the City Council of Davos," Fernando Morales-de la Cruz, museum founder told PTI.
The Basel-based museum, which has acquired a collection of statues of the Bapu and is organising exhibits at the European Parliament in Brussels, in Strasbourg in France, home to the Council of Europe among others, says it aims "to bring Gandhi's message and teachings through Gandhi inspired art to all corners of the world."
At Davos a total of 8 fibreglass statues of Gandhi in various poses spinning the chakra, walking, smiling and surrounded by children put up across different venues were the cynosure of all eyes with various Indian and world dignitaries and visitors queueing up to get themselves photographed with them.
The Davos city council has approved a statue of Gandhi along with his friend Albert Einstein created by Noida based sculptor Ram Sutar and unveiled by Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma at the Gandhi-Einstein Peace Place there on January 29, the death anniversary of the Indian leader.
According to Fernando,"If Mahatma Gandhi and Albert Einstein were still alive, today both would be leading the debates in Davos concerned about the state of the world." Meanwhile, the proposed statue in bronze of the two legends is expected to be installed in Davos next year and currently the museum is scouting for sponsors, says Anil who is also an architect.
Anil's father, 84-year-old Ram Sutar began sculpting in 1947 and his statues of Mahatma Gandhi stand in plazas in more than 50 cities in all continents.