The annual Varnashilpi Venkatappa Award ceremony held at Ravindra Kalakshetra was mired in controversy when many artists staged a walkout while the award was being conferred upon artist M.S. Murthy. These artists, under the banner of Venkatappa Art Gallery (VAG) Forum, were protesting against the selection of Mr. Murthy for the award.
One of their contentions was that Mr. Murthy was one of the artists who supported the State’s move to give the only-State run Venkatappa gallery for adoption to the Tasveer Foundation two years ago.
Questioning the entire selection process, the protesting artists have also written to Umashree, State Minister for Kannada and Culture stating that: “It has been a tradition to name the previous years’ awardee as the chairman of the current years’ award selection committee. Hence this year, M.R. Balekai should have rightfully been the chairman. However, departing from this tradition, S.G. Vasudev became the Chairman.”
Stating that there were other artists who were more eligible for the award, artist Alaka Rao, member of VAG Forum, said, “While the government has done nothing to improve the Venkatappa Gallery, the award which is instituted in his name is also being corrupted now.”
The problem started in 2015, the State government signed an MoU for adoption of Venkatappa Art Gallery. The next year, Tasveer Foundation adopted it, leading to a series of protests from artists. The forum came out in public and staged ‘Occupy Venkatappa Art Gallery’ protest. The forum also launched a signature campaign against the government’s move.
Following the protests, the government put the adoption on hold. However, VAG Forum said that the concerned Ministries and Departments had failed to improve and maintain Venkatappa Art Gallery (VAG) despite several requests.
“It’s ironical that the government annually gives an award in K. Venkatappa’s name but fails to improve and maintain the very gallery that bears his name and houses his artworks,” read the letter addressed to Ms. Umashree.
Mr. Murthy said: “I am not happy with what happened. There is a way to protest. I have been awarded for my four decades of honest work. The allegations that I influenced the committee or that I supported the adoption of the Gallery two years ago are false. The decision to confer the award was taken by the selection committe and I am not responsible for it.”
