National group art exhibition ‘NAKSHATRA’, a pivotal platform to promote talented artists

NEW DELHI: The 6-day national group art exhibition ‘NAKSHATRA’ being hosted in India’s oldest and reputed art gallery AIFACS in New Delhi has offered an excellent platform not only to the promising, and professional artists but to amateur artists as well to showcase their talent. Padamshree awardee Biman Das, Chairman AIFACS and eminent artist said this while inaugurating the exhibition on Saturday. He was joined by the Chief Guest, Prof. Paramjeet Singh (Ex-Chairman, AIFACS & Former Professor and Principal, Delhi College of Art), Dr. Mamoon Momani (Dean, Faculty of Fine Arts Jamia University), and Vijendra Sharma (celebrity artist).

In his address Biman Das said that India was replete with enormous amount of artistic talent as well as with promising artists but they needed a platform to showcase their skills.

“India is a vast country and talent can be found in all its lengths and breadths, and many artists of world repute and talent get lost in oblivion for the want of proper opportunity and the platform as they fail to properly project their work to the world. Time is changing fast and getting competitive and fierce, and artists, especially the budding ones with no professional background, need opportunities and organisations such as Luna Arts are doing their bit in terms of offering the much required opportunity to them,” said Biman Das.

He said that those exhibiting their works at a place like AIFACS, which was the oldest art gallery of India should consider them fortunate. Calling the AIFACS an institution, Das said that many noted and celebrity artists of India are the product of this institution.

Being organised by Luna Arts, an initiative of an art entrepreneur Smita and her brother Tushar, the 6-day national group art exhibition ‘NAKSHATRA’ featuring the art works of 47 artists from across the country took off on a promising note on Saturday. It would continue for public viewing till October 20. The artworks on display include handmade original paintings and sculptures.

Eliciting good responses from art lovers, the exhibition showcased the work of professional as well as budding artists.

Khushbu Bhandari, an amateur artist from a small town Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand has displayed three of her art works, the two of which are graphite or pencil sketches and another one made with acrylics.

While narrating her struggle to keep up her passion for the art, Khushbu who comes from a conservative family and her father passed away  when she was a child, she said that pursuing her interest in painting or sketching in her kind of situation was almost impossible.

“But I kept on trying and did not stop despite all odds. I am into a part-time job from 10am to 2pm, and resume my work on art throughout the time after I return home. I made two sketches with pencil – one Lord Ganesha and another with Silent Scream. Silent scream somewhat portrays my inner self, and agony I faced to keep up my passion for art,” Khushbu added.

Many artists exhibiting their works at NAKSHATRA were part-timers who would pursue their passion for art in added hours. Some have left their full-time employments to carry on with their love for art.

Srishti Sanghrai, an amateur artist from New Delhi has exhibited two of her art works. The one titled ‘Deception’ has a price tag of Rs. 2.5 lacs, and she made it with graphite in black and white.

“It’s about a flower Water Hyacinth, which I found in river Yamuna. It’s said that it grows like a weed, and even though it looks good but kills other vegetation in the river. This gave me the idea of Deception. It took me 2 months to make this artwork but when it was complete I couldn’t believe myself that I had created it,” said the beaming Srishti.

The exhibition witnessed participation from far eastern region of India – Manipur too.

Thashang, a professional painter has showcased five of his paintings made around the ancient life of the tribes of his region. His paintings are titled as Tangkul Naga, Trophy display, Ear-piercing, Entertainment, and Cock Fight. One of his paintings shows a Naga tribal man with a number of human skulls displaying as trophies, as there goes a saying in the region that those with collection of maximum human skulls are said to be the brave people.

Related article: Luna Arts brings NAKSHATRA – a national group art exhibition of 47 promising artists at AIFACS