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Bhubaneswar, June 29: ‘Shraddhanjali’, a five-day international exhibition of art and photography got under way at Lalit Kala Akademi Regional Centre here Wednesday. It is the sixth edition of the annual event organised by Artists’ Association of Orissa (AAO).
The exhibition is hosted in memory of Prof Byomakesh Mohanty, a painter of renown and former principal of BK College of Arts and Craft.
This year, 62 works, including paintings, sculpture and photographs by noted artists from countries such as Finland, London, Korea and France, and from different parts of the country are on show.
Pradeep Kumar Jena, principal secretary of water resource department, was chief guest at the inaugural function. “All the paintings here are unique. They depict different concepts and moods,” he said.
Janapriya Devata, the president of AAO, said: “Every year we organise this exhibition as a tribute to Byomakesh Mohanty. We include young, old and professional artists from India and abroad. He was an artist, and so we remember him through artwork, which I feel is the best way to remember an artist.”
This year Satyabhama Majhi was presented with Professor Byomakesh Mohanty Memorial award for her contribution to art. Bhabani Shankar Das was conferred with Harishchandra Sinha Babu Memorial award.
Whereas Satyabhama is a frontline woman artist of Orissa in practising art who has exhibited her works globally and is guiding the next generation of artists, Bhabani is a photorealist, who paints even up to six or eight layers that adds life to the canvas.
Apart from being an artist, Satyabhama also works with organisations that spread awareness on different issues in villages. “When I work with people it gives me satisfaction. Art can be a medium to bring change in society, I am working to bring that change,” she said.
Many art enthusiasts thronged the venue on the opening day of the exhibition and admired the paintings in water colour and acrylic on canvas besides sculptures. The exhibition was an amalgam of traditional and contemporary works by students and professionals.
An acrylic-on-canvas work by Sangita Patnaik shows the transition of society from the traditional to modern ways of expression. The painting shows how Lord Krishna, with his magical flute, used to impress Radha and how with time social media such as facebook have became an important medium for lovers.