Amritsar, December 17
With an aim of creating awareness among public regarding art and giving platform to artists, FICCI FLO-Amritsar with the support of the Punjab Government organised Navrang, an art festival.
The art festival-cum-exhibition organised in Amritsar.
Over 25 artist of repute from across the country participated in the festival, exhibiting their works and also creating live painting during workshops and demonstrations. These artists were encouraged by India’s most celebrated artists — Padam Bhushan Jatin Das and Padam Shree Raghunath Rai. Cabinet Minister Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar attended the event and shared that every art piece that would be created at Navrang would be donated to the state government.
“I understand that art and poetry are the only things that make us humans. Eminent artists who are a part of this event are creating wonderful pieces of art that will be donated to the government and we will display them in the city. The murals will be put up across the city as a part of our beautification project,” said Dr Nijjar.
Jatin Das, a celebrated artist, said: “We have a lot of talent and a number of artists with skills and courage to create art that is rich in expression and technique. What we don’t have is the reach and spaces where art can be displayed. I request the Punjab Government to open galleries and museums in every district to ensure that art gets promoted at local level.”
While observing the current art scape, Jatin Das said though the artists were growing in numbers and commercially, we seem to be moving away from our roots. “When I painted or made something, I did not do it for the sake of money, but for my passion. I do not work to sell my art. This should be the intent behind creating art. As for art appreciation, one must adopt it in every aspect of life. To appreciate art, we need spaces to nurture artists and the biggest learning spaces are home and primary schools. Once you nurture a creative perspective to life, the rest of it is quite organic,” he said.
Raghunath Rai, Das’s contemporary and an icon, also stressed on developing centres of excellence where art and artist are nurtured. “Art should not be made exclusive but inclusive, for all. It should engage masses in order for larger appreciation and understanding,” he said.
