Lalit Kala Akademi hosts the Kala Vithi Art Exhibition

Its curator, Durgesh Shankar, and other guests, were also present during the inauguration.

Shilp Guru Pradip Mukherjee, Padma Shri S. Shakir Ali, Shilp Guru Nand Kishore Sharma, Shilp Guru Rewa Shankar Sharma, National Awardee Shammi Sharma ‘Bannu’, National Awardee Ramu Ramdev, National Awardee Kalyan Joshi, National Awardee Trilok Prakash Soni, National Awardee Raja Ram Sharma, and Kuldeepak Soni are the 10 Master Painters featured at the ‘Kala Vithi’ art exhibition.

During the inauguration, Durgesh Shankar, said, “Society needs artists not merely for keeping traditions alive, but to retain its’ soul.  In India, we are blessed with phenomenal diversity, which has experienced an amazing dynamism thanks to our history of migration of cultures.  Rajasthan has perhaps experienced these influences more than any other state, and has absorbed them in every aspect of life, including art.  In this exhibition, through the work of the 10 artists of diverse genres –acknowledged as masters in their fields and quietly churning out masterpieces in remote corners of the state — I wish to introduce lovers of art in Delhi to fine brush-work, the magic of the natural colors and the vivid portrayal of themes. Though we’ve been familiar with this work from childhood, here it is presented to us on a modern palette.”

Speaking at the inauguration, Shovana Narayan said, “Our ancient disciplines required an artist to be proficient in many art forms.  Thus, a sculptor needed to be proficient in dance – just as a scientific treatise needed to be proficient in rhyme & rhythm. As a dancer I am amazed at the combination of the sur, taal, and abhinaya, that emerges from these paintings – the flowing garments, frozen movements and the dynamics of the colours used by these painters proves the unity of all arts.”

Adding on, Ashwani Lohani said, “My experience with ITDC and now with Air India has shown how much the global community is increasingly turning to the eastern cultures for inspiration.  These artists are like magnets that draw people from all over the world to them, to learn the age old techniques of presentation of ideas, themes and stories.  Looking at these paintings I realized that one never gets tired of good stories retold – especially when narrated by master craftsmen.”

The exhibition shall continue from Feb 13 to Feb 19.

Over 100 paintings are on display, some from private collections of the painters.