BENGALURU: Art has always been a powerful catalyst for introspection, empathy and cultural dialogue. Yet, over the last few centuries, a vast majority of the human population has been excluded from art with it being confined to the elite. In recent years, there have been many attempts at democratising art and making it more accessible.
One such attempt is Art Park, an initiative by contemporary artists who organise an exhibition open to all. The brainchild of senior artist SG Vasudev, Art Park’s first edition was held in March 2014, and subsequent editions have been held on the first Sunday of every month. The latest edition will be held on Sept 3 at Shilpavana, Ravindra Kalakshetra on JC Road.
“Art Park has been supported by contemporary artists. Normally what you would see is that art exhibitions and events are within the confines of galleries, hotels or sometimes other venues, which aren’t easily accessible to everyone. SG Vasudev wanted to do it in a park, a very democratic setting, where anyone can walk in,” says art consultant, curator and writer Nalini Malviya, who is also one of the organisers of the upcoming edition of Art Park.
Apart from making art accessible, Malviya says the initiative was also meant to facilitate conversations between artists and the public, offering an open studio- esque environment. “People can walk in, watch artists paint, and see the creative process. They can also interact with artists and find out more. That way it also increases awareness about adds.
The upcoming event, which features more than two dozen notable artists from across Karnataka, including more women artists, as well as artists who are participating in the event for the first time. Some notable names include Chandranath Acharya, Jasu Rawal, Pragati Dalvi Jain, Smita Verma, Manjunath Wali, Bharati Sagar and more.
Each artist is expected to bring a few of their works to be exhibited, and for sale at a nominal price. They also create new works on Sunday, which will be available for sale at a price of `1,000. Malviya hopes the event will be a transformational experience for visitors, especially those visiting for the first time. “For people coming to Art Park for the first, especially if they’ve never been to an art event, or walked into a gallery, I think they’ll art appreciation,” she have a unique experience, getting the opportunity to interact with senior artists. So for students or newcomers, watching these artists work, transforming a piece of paper with just a few strokes of lines, can be magical. I hope that’s what it is for most people as well,” she adds.