Panchamahabhoot: 33 art stalwarts come together to create magic on canvas
Our correspondent
Panchamahabhoot refers to the five fundamental elements – earth, water, fire, air and space that are responsible for the creation of the universe, including humans. These elements have different characteristics and also account for different faculties of human experience.
Keeping in mind the importance of these elements in sustaining the world, an art show was curated by Neeraj Sharma, in which art stalwarts from across the country, including national award winners, gathered under one roof to showcase their best work. The show was inaugurated by octogenarian visual artist Roop Chand on July 6 at the Visual Art Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, which ran till July 10, 2022. GR Iranna and Tasleema Nasreen were among the many dignitaries who visited the show to take a closer look at the brilliant pieces of art - paintings, mixed media, and photographs.
Shedding light on the successfully organised show, curator Neeraj said, "Last year we planned an art camp in the holy town of Varanasi on the theme of Panchamahabhoot. But the pandemic sabotaged all our plans and postponed the camp. When things went back to normal, we finally decided to put the show together in the prestigious Visual Arts Gallery of IHC, in which 33 artists, including senior, emerging, and young talents, took part with their thoughtful works numbering around 76."
"With nature as the core subject, most paintings in the exhibition represented expressionism and the artists' faith in spirituality. The bold and vibrant use of colours on canvas was nothing less than a breath of fresh air for art admirers. The exhibition was very well received in the art community," added Sharma, who is also the founder of the Speaking Art Foundation (SAF)—an organisation that works to bridge the gap between art admirers and artists and educate people about art.
Thanking all the people, who helped him achieve his goal, Neeraj said, "My sincere gratitude to the living legends of art, who unconditionally supported me and became a part of this dream venture."
"As a nonprofit organisation, my effort has always been to serve art humbly, and I believe, together we can do it," Neeraj further remarked.
List of participating artists included names like Amit Dutt, Arup Biswas, Ashok Bhowmick, Dr. Suryasnata Mohanty, Geetu Thakur, Manomoy Das, Meenakshi Jha Banerjee, Nawal Kishore, Prem Singh, Ramchandra Pokale, Sanjay Bhola 'Dheer' and Shilpa Mridul.
SAF, organisation behind the successful event, works throughout the year to provide opportunities to artists at different levels by organizing exhibitions, workshops, camps, demonstrations, art talks, art competitions, and performances. It creates a platform where promising and established artists can interact, learn and grow together, exhibit their talent and express themselves freely without any
boundaries.
