Public Art: Journeys and directions in the Contemporary World | Spirit of Earth Sculpture

April 7, 2013 I Biju Patnaik Park, Unit 6, Bhubaneswar and Utsha Foundation For Contemporary Art, VR-39, Bhubaneswar, Odisha

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Panellists: Rahul Bhattacharya, Veejayant Dash, Soubhagya Pathy, Smrutikanta Rout

Moderator: Sujit Mohapatra

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In conjugation with the unveiling of public art project "Spirit of Earth", a panel discussion titled "Public Art: Journeys and directions in the Contemporary World" took an interdisciplinary approach to examine the recent intensification of artistic engagement in public domain.This commitment to direct intervention in the public space brought attentiveness towards creative responses and discursive methods of Contemporary practices.The panel brings together artists, curator and editor to discuss the history of Public Art in general, followed by a presentation by artist Veejayant Dash on his water project developed around rural Odisha as an opportunity to share the reflections on the issues of artistic production in public spaces.The panel discussion also proposed to throw some insight on the new faculties of our engagement and possibilities of generating different avenues for our art practices. 

 

The "Spirit of the Earth '' sculpture by artist Smrutikanta Rout aimed to engage with specific topics of inquiry within public space. Smrutikanta Rout, with his simple visual imageries, aimed to unshackle subdued emotions. Searching from the mystified reality of our nature/culture, he drew contours of inquisitiveness and amusement with his structural works in bamboo in open spaces. As the project title suggests, he delved into the subtle passage of curvilinear form taking place in open air surrounded by trees and sprouts of plantation. Working with organic materials, Smrutikanta studied the complex relation between our surrounding nature and our life in this sculpture.