Unifying Art exhibition: How paintings by Kazakhstani and Indian painters bring two cultures together
The exhibition “Unifying Art: Kazakhstan-India” opened at the Presidential Center for Managing the Affairs of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, aimed at strengthening cultural ties between the two cultures, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports from the event.
Event organized by the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Center of the Embassy of the Republic of India in Kazakhstan and the Nemalevichi Watercolor Workshop from the city of Pavlodar within the framework of the international project of the Presidential Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan “Dialogue through culture”. There are 90 watercolor works presented from 25 authors.
The exhibition includes a variety of landscapes, ethnic motifs, architectural subjects, portraits and still lives painted by both Kazakh and Indian artists. Particular attention was drawn to a series of works by Indian master Rama Viranjan entitled “Winter Landscapes of Kazakhstan”, inspired by the amazing winter panoramas of the Kazakh countryside.
Svetlana Kravchenko, head of the Nemalevichi workshop, told a Kazinform News Agency correspondent in an interview that she had often visited India since 2015 and managed to visit many places. When asked what was the inspiration for her work, Svetlana said: “As an artist, it is always very pleasant for me to return to this country (India), because it’s as if you are in a fairy tale. The clothes are so bright, the women are so decorated. Sometimes I can’t believe that they didn’t dress specially for my visit, but they walk like this every day.”
Svetlana also shared her impressions of the work of her colleague, Ram Viranjan: “It is very valuable to me that Ram Viranjan agreed to present our winter paintings. I know that he writes them, but he has never exhibited them in such quantities anywhere before.”
Professor Ram Viranjan, who worked as vice-rector of Pavlodar State University, also noted that although this is not his first exhibition, it is the biggest. In his artwork he portrays ordinary life in rural areas, depicts homes and in his words “Of course, I like snow, so all my drawings that you see here are related to snow.”
He shared that his ultimate dream is to host an exhibition like this in India as a cultural exchange through art vision: “So that Indian artists can see how Kazakh artists look at India, look at India, and how they relate to India and Indian citizens will see how Kazakh artists see India through the prism of culture.”
In an interview with Kazinform News Agency correspondent, Dr. T.V. Nagendra Prasad, ambassador of India to Kazakhstan, shared that there is a plan to bring this exhibition and artwork to India. He also shared that his favorite artwork of the exhibition is by Olga, explaining further “A Kazakh painter has painted India in her own imagination, vision. And an Indian painter at the same time has painted Kazakhstan. There’s deep mutual understanding. Every picture you can see, it speaks volumes. And really, you know, this causes the results in mutual understanding of our own cultures.”
The watercolor painting presented at the exhibition reflects bright cultural vision and high level of skill of artists from both countries. The exhibition will last until June 23, 2024, inviting all art lovers to enjoy this creative dialogue between Kazakhstan and India.
