BHUBANESWAR: The sound of Odissi music greets visitors as they step into the regional centre of the Lalit Kala Akademi in Bhubaneswar. Soft strains from recordings by eminent gurus float through the gallery as paintings and photographs, all inspired by Odissi, unfold across the walls.
A tribute to art historian, writer and cultural thinker Dinanath Pathy, the exhibition, ‘Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom’ has been conceptualised by acclaimed Odissi dancer and Padma Shri awardee Ramli Ibrahim. After being showcased in Chennai, the exhibition was on display at Bhubaneswar from March 6 to 10.
The Bhubaneswar leg of the exhibition was presented by Ketaki Foundation Trust (KFT) in collaboration with the Sutra Foundation and curated by artist and KFT trustee Ramahari Jena. The exhibition features works by 21 artists from Bhubaneswar, Chennai and Malaysia.
Inside the gallery, the curatorial design has been carefully arranged. Across many of the artworks and photographs in the exhibition, Ramli Ibrahim himself appears as a recurring muse. The exhibition continues a dialogue between visual art and dance that has been evolving for decades.
Among the highlights are a set of paintings by Dinanath Pathy, which have been brought on loan from his residence. Contemporary artist Bibhu Patnaik’s works blend elements of Pattachitra with musical ragas. Another set of paintings by Helen Brahma takes Ramli Ibrahim as a muse.
In these works, the artist forms Ramli’s dancing figure through the use of Odishan textiles, covering parts of his body with fabric as he breaks into expressive dance poses.
Another major highlight of the exhibition is the painting Springmood by Malaysian painter Syed Thajudeen, which depicts a group of Odissi dancers striking a pose. A distinctive feature of the artwork is the dancers’ particularly extended lips and the expressive curvature of their hands.
As per Jena, it can also be seen as an extension of an earlier project titled ‘Stirring Odissi’. “In 2008, we had a huge exhibition at the gallery of the Petronas Twin Towers called ‘Stirring Odissi’. It involved Malaysian artists, and in a way this exhibition follows the same spirit,” Ramli says.
That exhibition, held at Gallery Petronas in Kuala Lumpur and jointly curated by Dinanath Pathy and Sivarajah Natarajan, marked the 50th anniversary of India–Malaysia diplomatic relations, bringing together artists from both countries. ‘Let A Thousand Flowers Bloom’ continues that exchange.