National Workshop on Art and Ecology: Search for Sustainability
February 8-14, 2014 I Buddha Jayanti Park, Bhubaneswar, Odisha
Artists: Archana Hande, Atul Bhalla, Mrugen Rathod, Nityananda Ojha, Kaori Uematsu, Smrutisai Mishra, Trinath Mohanty, Veejayant Dash, Sujit Mallik, Neha Thakkar, Smrutikanta Rout, Nilansubala Samal, Biswajita Moharana and Somanath Rout
The urban space in the Indian subcontinent is facing a tremendous challenge of its own creation while the rural has distanced itself from the rituals and traditions that once held the balance of natural habitation.The changing conditions have certainly affected our living, which finds the solutions in Nature. Art uses different mediums and materials that fall into interdisciplinary territory suitable to Art and Science. With the multi-dimensional perspective in art-making and artist involvement in the activism space, the context of nature demands a fresh evaluation.
“Art and Ecology: Search for Sustainability” workshop aimed at facilitating a platform for people from diverse areas of expertise. While this workshop explored the spiritual practice that enriches our lives in various ways, there were efforts to communicate different ideas and concepts of our living world that blur the lines between artist, herbal expert, scientist, amateur, healer, curator, viewer, student and the community.This was a key step in unlocking the relationship between ecology and development and deciphering a new language with new consideration.
The week-long national painting and sculpture workshop which concluded on February 14, 2015 at the Buddha Jayanti Park in Bhubaneswar proved to be a path breaking event which presented the city with priceless works of art created by reputed artists from within the state and outside.The workshop provided the Buddha Jayanti Park a much-needed face-lift. About a dozen sculptures were created during the workshop which will find a permanent place in the park, transforming it into a unique gallery of contemporary art in Bhubaneswar.Though many galleries and institutions in the State have good collections of contemporary art, this is the first instance when sculptures by present day leading artists were kept for public view. About 15 artists had participated in the workshop that deliberated on the theme and presented diverse forms of artistic creations.
