Rang Smriti Tribute to Sachida Nagdev

Dhoomimal Gallery, the oldest modern art gallery in India, presented a painting exhibition 'Rang-Smriti: A Tribute to Sachida Nagdev'. Curated by Prayag Shukla, an eminent art critic, and poet, the event was officially inaugurated on October 25 at Twin Art Gallery I and II, IGNCA, New Delhi. The event started with a sitar recital by Smita Nagdev (the artist's daughter) and screening of a documentary film on his life, in the presence of Pooja Chauhan, Chairperson Amity Humanity Foundation and HamzaYahia, Cherif, Ambassador of Algeria.

This was a retrospective exhibition showcasing over 100 works of Sachida Nagdev spanning over five decades.

On October 27, an 'Art talk' event was moderated by Prayag Shukla, in which discussions about the contributions of the artist in Indian art was held. Main speakers included Dr Shruti Tandon, Siraj Saxena, Vinod Bhardwaj, and K Damodaran.

This was followed by an event of poetry recital on October 29. Participating poets Mangalesh Dabral, Vishnu Nagar, Poonam Arora, Leeldhar Mandloi, Siraj Saxena, and Sangeeta Gundecha were introduced by Prayag Shukla.

Speaking on the occasion, Prayag Shukla said, "In the universal pictorial language of abstract painting, Nagdev did something brilliant by using local 'malwa' colours of the region he belonged to. His greens, reds, and blues weaved magic with their rhythmic patterns and sensitive textural quality. These truly evocative works now put together speak volumes about the creator and his art. He was a true friend, a lover of poetry and music, and was in the forefront as the promoter of young talents."

"Sachida Nagdev is a name synonymous to abstract Indian art especially with modern art of Madhya Pradesh. He is the only Indian to win Osaka Triennale Award in Japan where more than 186 countries were represented by over 30000 artists. His works are appreciated by both Indian and overseas collectors and are present in most prestigious private and museum collections. He was a very quiet person, a true artist at heart and always ready to help any artist in any form. Innumerable young artists have had their initial guidance from Nagdev as he was always present to encourage and support them," said Uday Jain, who was also present at

the event.