Come January 4, Kumara Krupa Road in Bengaluru will be the destination for all art lovers, as it hosts Chitra Santhe. With ‘art for all’ as its tagline, the unique feature of this one-day exhibition organised by Karnataka Chitra Kala Parishath is that artists from all over India display and sell their art works here. A team of Hyderabadi artists are also getting ready to travel to Bengaluru to participate in this one-day exhibition.
Artist Srikanth Babu, curator of Nirmala Birla Art Gallery has been participating in Chitra Santhe for the past six years. “It is an amazing experience and a great opportunity for budding artists to display their collection. The special feature is that one gets to meet so many artists and see their works,” he states.
The one-day exhibition attracts people from all walks of life.
“The place is jam-packed and the response is amazing as artists get to sell most of their works. It is exciting to see the enthusiasm of art lovers. Even people who earn Rs. 10,000 per month come here to buy an art work. It is a common man’s art festival,” he says with a smile.
Another artist M. Niranjan is excited to display his collection, particularly the portrait of Amitabh Bachchan. “The Bachchan portrait is not for sale. I want more and more people to see and appreciate it,” he says. As a portrait specialist, Niranjan says portraits are challenging as the artist has to recreate the personality on canvas.
Though the State Art Gallery in Hyderabad also hosts an art mela, artists opine it doesn’t match up to Chitra Santhe. “In Chitra Santhe, the artists do not have any limitations regarding the number of works they can display or the pricing. It is not the case at State Art Gallery. Artists who participate at Chitra Santhe get a certificate too,” points out Srikanth Babu. For budding and young artists, Chitra Santhe provides a platform to display their works.
Suruchi Jain’s works will be displayed too, though she will be missing the action at Chitra Santhe as she will not be travelling to Bengaluru. Figurative drawings are her forte as she plays with textures to create a special look for her exhibits.
Artist Monita Agarwal was a finance professional before she decided to shift gears and return to art, her childhood passion. With Indian heritage as her specialisation, her pencil sketches are a trip to the days of yore.
“I am thrilled to be in this colourful field. But I wish people change their perception regarding artists who are qualified in another field. At the end of the day, it is an artist’s skill and imagination which should count,” she states.
