Latest news with #LalitKalaAkademi
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘Mapping Memories' exhibition to begin today
This Madras Month, art takes centre stage as Madras Art Weekend, in collaboration with The Hindu's Made of Chennai initiative, unveils Mapping Memories, a compelling group exhibition that celebrates the intricate dance between memory, place, and identity. Opening on August 9 at 4 PM at Lalit Kala Akademi, Egmore, the exhibition brings together works by both emerging and established artists, offering a rare confluence of perspectives, mediums, and stories. Spanning paintings, sculptures, photographs, and installations, Mapping Memories is a layered exploration of how personal recollections and collective histories shape the urban landscapes we call home. 'The artworks on display weave together personal and collective narratives, revealing the complex textures of life. From the nostalgia of forgotten places to the vibrancy of everyday experiences, the artists capture this essence and the memories that define it,' says, Upasana Asrani, Founder of Madras Art Weekend. She has also curated the exhibition, along with Pinky Jain. Chess Grandmaster Vishwanathan Anand and Inspector General of Police, Chennai, A. Kayalvizhi will be the chief guests for the exhibit. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, the exhibition stands as an important platform for underrepresented artists, amplifying voices that often go unheard in the mainstream art world. In doing so, Mapping Memories also mirrors the mission of Made of Chennai - to chronicle and celebrate the many layers of the city's identity. The exhibition will run until August 14, open daily from 11 AM to 7 PM.
Hans India
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
64th National Exhibition of Art to be inaugurated today
New Delhi: The 64th National Exhibition of Art, a celebration of excellence in Indian contemporary art, organised by Lalit Kala Akademi will be inaugurated at Rabindra Bhawan, New Delhi on Tuesday (August 5). The event will be graced by Hon'ble Minister of Culture & Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat ji, along with distinguished dignitaries from the Ministry of Culture. Among the selected artists, Aashima Mehrotra , a visual artist and also an Indian Railway Traffic Officer has achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming the first-ever Railway officer whose work 'Laapata Ladies' has been selected and featured in this prestigious national exhibition. Aashima, an officer who is presently posted as Executive Director/ Heritage in Railway Board has seamlessly integrated her professional dedication with a profound artistic journey, creating works that resonate with spiritual depth, cosmic duality, and Indian aesthetics. Her selection underscores the Akademi's vision of recognising diverse voices and talents from all walks of life, fostering a space where passion and creativity transcend professional identities. The exhibition showcases a rich tapestry of visual narratives, reflecting India's evolving artistic landscape. Her Journey as an artist is inspiring as her work has not only been recognised at national but also international level by jurors of MoMA and New York federation of Arts and ICCR and Embassies. The National Exhibition will remain open for public viewing till September 15 at Lalit Kala Akademi Galleries, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi.
Hans India
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Lalit Kala Akademi Celebrates Indian Contemporary Art
The 64th National Exhibition of Art, a celebration of excellence in Indian contemporary art, organised by Lalit Kala Akademi is being inaugurated on 5th August 2025, at Rabindra Bhawan, New Delhi. The event will be graced by Hon'ble Minister of Culture & Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat ji, along with distinguished dignitaries from the Ministry of Culture. Among the selected artists, Ms. Aashima Mehrotra , a visual artist and also an Indian Railway Traffic Officer has achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming the first-ever Railway officer whose work 'Laapata Ladies' has been selected and featured in this prestigious national exhibition. Aashima, an officer who is presently posted as Executive Director/ Heritage in Railway Board has seamlessly integrated her professional dedication with a profound artistic journey, creating works that resonate with spiritual depth, cosmic duality, and Indian aesthetics. Her selection underscores the Akademi's vision of recognising diverse voices and talents from all walks of life, fostering a space where passion and creativity transcend professional identities. The exhibition showcases a rich tapestry of visual narratives, reflecting India's evolving artistic landscape. Her Journey as an artist is inspiring as her work has not only been recognised at national but also international level by jurors of MoMA and New York federation of Arts and ICCR and Embassies. The National Exhibition will remain open for public viewing till 15th September 2025 at Lalit Kala Akademi Galleries, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi. Title : Laapataa Ladies Medium : Acrylic on Canvas Size : 61x91 Cms Year : 2024 Aritst : Aashima Mehrotra
Hindustan Times
03-08-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
The soul on ventilator support
Artist Kulwinder Singh was driving from his village in Sangrur to Chandigarh when he observed road accidents caused by the obscuring smoke screen of paddy stubble infernos. Though hailing from a farmer's home, the young man's sensitivity liberated him from the corral of his ancestry. A thought flashed in his inner eye: 'Burning does not just adversely affect us farmers by way of health hazards, environmental pollution, destruction of biodiversity helpful to soil such as worms and the earth's destruction. But also people unconnected to farming.' Wildbuzz | The soul on ventilator support Singh is of the conviction that art must reach beyond the decorative to 'disturb' and send ripples through a stagnating social conscience. He conceived a painting from that 'driving' thought. It smoulders, and arrests the gaze. It was on prime display at the annual exhibition of the Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi. It is of an elderly farmer with an oxygen mask. The scarecrow behind him also clamped with a breathing filter. Wisps of burnt stubble settle on the wizened farmer's white kurta, like indelible black curses. 'It is an aesthetic depiction of a warning: that the farmer is on ventilator support. The terminal stage. If not heeded, we will have committed suicide,' Singh, an art teacher in a Chandigarh school, told this writer. The painting is rich in cultural symbolism. In the kurta's upper pocket is a bulging wallet depicting a man of wealth. 'However, my artwork evokes the message: wealth will not be able to prevent the looming destruction to the self and to environment,' Singh added. The young artist is critical of the self: 'It is not enough to say farmers burn stubble because it is cheap and Government provides no alternative. We must evolve from the destructive paddy cycle, which has also depleted the water table.' The artwork whispers of the ironies that wrack the soul of contemporary Punjab: obsessed with blasphemy but oblivious to the scriptures steeped in the vision of environmental preservation, of symbols and rituals accorded precedence over principles. Burmese python turns turtle and pretends it is dead! (Santosh Bhattarai) The python's drama of death The Chhatbir zoo has recently acquired a much sought-after species: three Burmese pythons. This giant serpent is curated by only seven of the 156 zoos in India. In captivity, its behavioural diversity is limited because of the confines but in the wilderness it can be quite an enigma. One of the most interesting aspects of the Burmese python is a unique field observation of it feigning death. This is a behaviour more associated with smaller snakes, mammals and amphibians not at the apex of the food chain like the python. Death feigning or thanatosis is the self-inducement of a state of temporary paralysis to avoid predators, maximize probability of survival and avert risk of damage against external stimuli. Santosh Bhattarai, one of the rare researchers who has consistently expended time and energy on Burmese pythons, shares an observation with a photograph of a mighty python which preferred to play possum, twice. This was when a female python was rescued from the hen coop of a house nearby to Chitwan National Park (CNP), Nepal. 'During the rescue, the python was quite aggressive as the poultry owner had tried to chase it from the hut. After rescue, the python was placed in a plastic sack and taken to the National Trust for Nature Conservation--Biodiversity Conservation Center for photographic documentation and release. When removed from the sack, the body of the python was found to be stiff and it was not hissing or indulging in any other aggressive action. When the python was placed on the ground, it did not move and appeared almost catatonic or dead. Upon gentle stimulation to its dorsum (upper part), it suddenly inverted its body, exposing its venter and remained immobile in this posture with a closed mouth for about four minutes,' Bhattarai told this writer. 'Later, it returned to the upright position, began to crawl and attempted to escape. The python was recaptured and it again imitated death. However, on this occasion, the (death) behaviour lasted only 1.5 minutes. Afterwards, the python was returned to the sack for another one hour. On the third occasion of release, the python did not feign death but crawled and was released into the CNP,' added Bhattarai. vjswild2@
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Kodu 2025 art exhibition in Chennai: When a line becomes a means of self-inquiry, reflection
CHENNAI: Maisha Studio is set to organise Kodu 2025, the sixth edition of its annual student art and design exhibition at Lalit Kala Akademi in Chennai from June 19 to 24. Curated by artist and educator Aishwarya Manivannan, the exhibition will showcase more than 150 original works across various media, including painting, sculpture, photography and animation, done by 25 emerging artists, aged 14 to 25. Rooted in the Tamil word 'kodu,' meaning 'line,' the theme explores the act of drawing a line as a process of self-inquiry and reflection. The young artists have drawn inspiration from their personal experiences and cultural contexts, creating works that are both layered and evocative. It will explore memory and emotion using lines through the eyes of young artists, offering a unique opportunity to engage with art that reflects both personal and universal narratives. Highlights of the event include a collaborative live drawing and music jam on June 22, featuring violinist Shravan Sridhar and other renowned visual artists. The exhibition is committed to accessibility, welcoming children with learning disabilities, individuals with physical challenges and members of the deaf and blind community, underscoring the universal power of art. Admission is free and open to all.
