Scenes from the 77th edition of Art Park | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The 77th edition of Art Park was recently held at the Bangalore International Centre. The event was attended by 25 artists from Bangalore as well as Odisha, Assam and Rajasthan. The mission of the Art Park organisation is to make art inclusive and encourage interaction between audiences and artists.
“The Art Park was conceptualised because the general public is hesitant to visit art galleries or interact with artists,” said SG Vasudev, founder of the Art Park.
“The artwork here includes drawings, paintings, sculptures, new, innovative art forms and even live performance art,” said Bhagya Ajaykumar, chairman of the Art Park committee. This edition of the Art Park did not focus on a specific theme, but artists used the event as a platform to interact with the audience and showcase their work. Bhagya said it helped people see what goes behind the creation of art.
Scenes from the 77th edition of Art Park | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Vasudev said, “We ask the artists to bring small-sized works if possible and we also ask them to create four to five paintings at the venue using the material provided by the organisation, so that they can showcase their interactive skills. These paintings are sold for ₹1,000, making it affordable and inclusive for all.” He added, “The park works democratically; there is a membership committee that suggests 25 different artists for every edition.”
Speaking about the variety of artists present at the exhibition, chief guest and Doordarshan anchor Sandhya S Kumar said, “Artworks bring people together and promote unity.” Chief guest and former DG and IGP ST Ramesh said, “The concept is unique as it brings together artists with different forms of expression at one place.”
One of the artists featured in the latest edition of the Art Park was Kanchan Ratna, who specialises in ‘eco-prints’, an innovative and sustainable art form that mainly uses natural elements such as leaves, old paper and recycled plastic. When she saw the amount of chemical pollution from discarded paints, she took up this art form as a means of promoting nature-friendly means of making art. “We are invited for free and we want to popularise art, so it’s all about people, and making sure art is at the centre,” said Kanchan.
SG Vasudev (seated on the extreme left) with artists participating in the 77th edition of Art Park | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Ilm Gyan Anjan Kaur Chahal, a visual artist, exhibited ‘Rings of Rudra’, which is based on the Navarasa ‘Raudra’, meaning anger. “Art is everywhere and our body is art. It made me question why we can’t use our body as a medium to display art,” she said. Another artist Smita Cariappa performed an interactive performance called ‘Perform to Draw’ with the audience. “There is less hesitation and inhibition in such interactive programmes; visitors can directly interact with the artists about their techniques and ideas,” said Smita.
Rajasthani Pichwai artist Monika Gupta said, “The concept of the Art Park gives artists a chance to interact with each other and meet senior and emerging artists, creating a space where we can exchange ideas. Artists usually don’t get too many opportunities to interact with other artists.”
Previous editions of the Art Park were held at the Sculpture Garden on Jayachamaraja Road, where the artworks were displayed in the open. “The Art Park has helped a lot of young artists generate interest among the general public,” Vasudev said, adding, “A large community has been created.”
Reflecting on the growth of the Art Park community, Bhagya said, “Initially the Art Parks were held only at the sculpture garden next to Ravindra Kalakshetra, but now we have expanded and are trying to hold events in different parts of Bengaluru.”
Scenes from the 77th edition of Art Park | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The Art Park event is funded by external sponsors every month and operates on a limited budget. “Our advertising and invitations are mainly through Facebook and our community spreads the word. The organization is very community-oriented,” says Vasudev.
More information about the next edition of the Art Park can be found on its Facebook page.
