By Tricitynews
Chandigarh 29th Mar, 2019:- The Punjab Art Initiative (PAI) has announced the
opening of its 2ND Edition at VR Punjab. Details of PAI were
given at a press conference addressed by PAI's Curator Sumi Gupta, and Bheem Malhotra Chairman,
Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi. The press meet was also attended by National
level artists -Gogi Saroj Pal - a 74-year- old artist who has a number of
awards including the National Award of the Lalit Kala Akademi to her credit, Farhad Hussain
a recipient
of the Nasreen Mohamedi scholarship and Sudip Roy who has his
collections as part of Museum of Sacred Art, Belgium, Birla Academy of Art and
Culture, Kolkata, Indian Embassy, USA & many more.
Part of a successful roster of
pan-Indian, award winning art shows that include Dumas Art Project (Est. 2013),
Whitefield Art Collective (Est. 2016) and Madras Art Guild (Est. 2019) that are
supported by Virtuous Retail as part of its connecting communities© program,
PAI will reinforce Punjab’s position as one of India’s premier art and culture
destinations. PAI 2019 is additionally supported by the Yog Foundation.
The opening on March 29th included
the unveiling of The VR Art Car 2019, a work by artist M. Senathipati,
President of Cholamandal
Artists’ Village, Chennai. This was followed by an
exclusive viewing of works in association with Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi,
as well as works by Gogi Saroj Pal, Farhad Hussain, Diwan Manna and Manjot
Kaur. A highlight of the opening night was a Live Art Performance by renowned
artist Sudip Roy.
PAI 2019, a dedicated month of
artistic immersion, will turn VR Punjab into a hub of artistic activity. An
ensemble of installations, curated through partnerships with leading
institutions and eminent artists will be on display. This year the collective has
collaborated with Government College of Art, Chandigarh, The College of
Architecture, Chandigarh, Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi, Government College of
Fine Arts, Kumbakonam, Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai, Bharathiar
Palkalaikoodam, Puducherry and Cholamandal Artists’ Village, Chennai
The month-long program that goes on
till April 28th, will also have an Art Bazaar in association with Vanity Box,
a Baisakhi special - Children’s Art Competition, a Baisakhi special
food and music Festival Food Tadka showcasing a special installation marking
the festival, Punjab in Focus online photography contest along with Art Cinema
featuring “Frida”, a movie on the life of the artist Frida Kahlo.
Speaking about PAI 2019, Sumi Gupta
(Curator) said: “Public art has the power to enhance and transform spaces and
our broader living environments. The incredible response to PAI is a strong
reflection of how we have been able to connect with the local community and
bring art into people’s everyday life. We are pleased to be back in the Tricity
for the second time with our annual showcase.
PAI aligns with Virtuous Retail’s
approach that focuses on creating user friendly city centers both through the
art of place-making and through Connecting Communities© through a range of
multidisciplinary events and initiatives.
Virtuous Retail has been the
presenting partner for PAI since its launch in 2017 and a strong supporter of
all art forms. Across its many centres in India, Virtuous Retail houses an
impressive collection of permanent installations by renowned artists, including
the Jal Tapi (VR Surat) by Padma Shri Paresh Maity, Synergy (VR Bengaluru) by
Dimpy Menon, Seeds On The Left Bank Of The River (VR Bengaluru) by Murali
Cheeroth, The Bodhisattva (VR Chennai) by Satish Gupta amongst many others.
VR Punjab hosts Punjab Art Initiative
as part of its local Connecting Communities© initiative, an ongoing project
that aims to encourage civic pride, strengthen the local economy and enhance
Punjab’s image.
Speaking of PAI and the VR Art
initiatives, Pankaj Renjhen, COO, Virtuous Retail South Asia (VRSA) said that we
are happy to host Punjab Art Initiative as it dovetails into our philosophy of
bringing the most enriching and exclusive experiences to the discerning
audience of Chandigarh. This complements the shopping experience we offer with
exclusive brands like H&M & Zara amongst others, that makes us the
largest and most compelling fashion and F&B destination in the
Tricity. VR continues to redefine the spatial retail experience for
consumers by adding art and culture to the mix.