Durbar Hall Art Centre, the State Lalithakala Akademi's modernised art gallery of international standards, was dedicated to the nation by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy at a function at the Durbar Hall premises on Sunday.
The modernisation project of the gallery that took about a year and cost Rs.3 crore taken up by the Kochi Biennale Foundation has provided over 10,000 square feet of space for displaying works of art in two floors, making it a premier space that the artists will enjoy here, said Mr. Chandy.
K. C. Joseph, Minister for Culture, presided over the function. K. A. Francis, chairman, Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, welcomed the gathering. A. P. Anil Kumar and Minister for Tourism, K. Babu, Minister for Excise and Mayor Tony Chammany spoke on the occasion.
MLAs Hibi Eden, Dominic Presentation, Jose Thettayil and Anwar Sadat also participated. Bose Krishnamachari, president of Kochi Biennale Foundation, and Riaz Komu, secretary of the Foundation, were present. An exhibition of works of more than a hundred artists is on at the hall for 20 days up to December 16.
