Artists bring ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision alive on canvas

From charcoal sketching to oil painting, a large number of artists gathered at the historic Purana Quila here on Sunday as part of a daylong camp to bring their vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’ on canvas.
On a sunny day, a portion of the verdant lawns of the heritage site was teeming with artistic activities since morning and the camp also drew in tourists, domestic and foreign. The backdrop of the centuries-old fort has accentuated the feel of creativity as art and architecture have come together in one setting.
The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) and Lalit Kala Akademi (LKA) have joined hands for the ‘Viksit Bharat Ambassador Artist Workshop’, with participation of both professional artists and fine arts students.
“One can see an ocean of artists sprawled on the lawns of the historic Purana Quila. Some are sketching, others painting with oil, acrylic or other medium, each one driven by the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’,” a senior official of the NGMA said. While artists have mostly come from Delhi and neighbouring cities in the National Capital Region, some have come from Chandigarh too.
Sanjeev Kishor Goutam, director general of the NGMA, went around the camp and interacted with artists and art students as they used the brush to conjure the image of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ on their canvases. The government has launched the ‘Viksit Bharat’ campaign seeking to make India a developed nation by 2047.
Besides, the historic setting of the event, a group of artistes are performing in the background adding a festive layer to the art camp.
“Many foreign tourists coming to Purana Quila since morning were moving around watching inquisitively at artworks being created,” the senior official said. “While an artist cannot be restricted to a time frame in imaging an art, the overarching theme will be Viksit Bharat by 2047,” Goutam had earlier told reporters at NGMA while announcing the project. The event will represent a collective journey towards progress and development, encapsulating the essence of the vision for a thriving and culturally rich India, Culture Ministry officials said.
These artists will be the ‘Viksit Bharat ambassadors’ as they will dream up the developed India as they wish to see it, officials said.
Besides, school students are also participating in it presenting a painting or other artwork online, they said. Those interested artists who could not join at the camp venue have registered their presence virtually. A large screen put up at the venue showed many of them joining the event online.