Chandigarh witnesses a celebration of art

A World Art Day exhibition in Chandigarh showcased paintings, photographs, sculptures, and installations by new and established artists, created at various international and national-level art workshops. Installations included a sculpture dedicated to Chandigarh and an ode to Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru's dream for the city. The exhibition also featured a miniature crafts workshop by Haryana and Uttar Pradesh sculptors.

American artist Georgia O’Keeffe once said, “I could say things with colour and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way—things I had no words for.”

Visitors taking a look at the artworks on display (HT Photo)

Local artists too, got a voice to express their innermost thoughts, at the art exhibition organised by the department of art and cultural affairs, Haryana, and the Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi (CLKA) at the Underpass Gallery in Chandigarh.

The unique exhibition was organised to mark World Art Day by showcasing paintings, photographs, sculptures, and installations of new and established artists created at various international and national-level art workshops held by the organising bodies, said Bheem Malhotra, chairman, CLKA.

The installations at the exhibition were a huge hit among city art enthusiasts. An installation dedicated to the City Beautiful itself had an “experimental blend of fluidity and rigidity through a rhythmic pattern of silver rods exemplifying the brutalist riots and strong foundation of the city, and a criss-cross of thread work bringing out Le Corbusier’s colour palette and vision for Chandigarh”.

An installation titled Chandigarh Within and Beyond World Art

Another sculpture titled Chandigarh Within and Beyond World Art, by Dr Ranjan Kumar Mallik and Dr Sudarshan Pal Singh, faculty members of Chitkara Design School, was an ode to Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru’s dream for this modern city and Le Corbusier and his team’s hard work in making that dream a reality. A portrait of the architect, and carvings of the Student Centre, Panjab University, and other constructions, added to the appeal of the piece.

Attendees taking part in an activity

Another special attraction of the art show was the miniature crafts workshop by Haryana and Uttar Pradesh sculptors Mahesh Kumar, Khem Raj, and Rajender Bodwal.

Senior artist Anand Shende, who hails from Maharashtra, said he loves to paint a vibrant and youthful pictures and draws inspiration from his memories as a child.