Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, March 30: Around 36 artists from nine art colleges from different parts of the state are participating in a three-day state-level artists’ camp organised by Lalit Kala Akademi to mark Utkal Diwas at Utkal Mandap April 1.
The programme was formally inaugurated by commissioner-cum-secretary of tourism and culture department Aravind Padhee, culture director Sushil Kumar Das and Lalit Kala Akademi president Siba Panigrahi here Monday.
Exhorting all artists, Padhee said Utkal Diwas is a special day for people of the state and said each artist visualises the day and pays tribute to the occasion in his/her own way. It would be interesting to see different interpretations in the form of paintings, Padhee said.
Dinabandhu Sahoo, a faculty member of Government Art School in Jajpur and a participant in the camp, said he will portray tribal festivals. “I am from Koraput and I’m going make a painting portraying the tribal festivals of Koraput region. It is a wonderful initiative by Lalit Kala Akademi to bring together different artists from schools and colleges and offer them a platform to showcase their art. We will get an opportunity to share ideas and views with other artists. I love tribal landscape painting, hence most of my paintings are based on tribals and their rich culture,” Sahoo said.
While many artists came up with paintings depicting the state’s culture in order to fit in with the theme of Utkal Diwas, several others portrayed the issues facing the state. “Orissa which got its own identity after the struggle of many leaders is facing the risk of losing its identity. Through my paintings, I’m trying to portray the menance of corruption which is growing in every sector. There will be a glimpse of coal scam, exploitation of iron resource and other things,” said another painter.
The three-day camp will conclude April 1 with an exhibition of the paintings which will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
