Umesh and Sunanda Gaur began collecting modern and contemporary Indian art in 1995. Based in New Jersey, the Gaur Collection now comprises approximately 1,000 works, including paintings, sculpture, prints, photography, and indigenous art.

Their collecting is guided by the pleasure of looking, a connection to their Indian heritage, and a curiosity about the artists and ideas behind each work. They see themselves as custodians, entrusted with preserving these works and sharing them with future generations.

Sharing the collection is central to their activities. Through exhibitions, publications, educational programs, and collaborations with museums and scholars, the Gaurs encourage the study and appreciation of Indian art. Their home gallery provides a setting for focused exhibitions that often lead to further research, books, and institutional partnerships. Gifts to the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art extend this commitment to public audiences.

Consulting Curator

Jeffrey Wechsler has served as consulting curator to the Gaur Collection since 2002, when he and Umesh Gaur co-curated an exhibition of modern and contemporary Indian art at Rutgers University’s Zimmerli Art Museum. Formerly senior curator at the Zimmerli, he retired in 2013 after 36 years of service.

His scholarship encompasses Abstract Expressionism, women artists, and Asian and Indian art. He continues to contribute to the collection’s exhibitions and publications.