By IANS,
New Delhi : The eastern metropolis of Kolkata will host 11 foreign artists in a live workshop-cum-exhibition of contemporary international art as part of its autumn art bonanza.
The six-day show titled, “Gen Next III”, beginning Oct 2 will promote 40 young artists, including 11 foreign ones, and their work. It will be organised by Kolkata-based Aakriti Art Gallery. This is the third Gen Next show to be sponsored by the gallery.
Most of the young foreign artists will execute their works at an art camp Oct 2-3, which is central to the show, along with known faces from the country. The works will be auctioned by the gallery later.
The group of foreigners will include three from US, one each from Italy, Poland, Canada, France, Austria, Brazil, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
“The show is different because it was conceived with the sole idea of promoting contemporary artists below 40 years of age. It was initiated in 2006 as part of the first anniversary celebration of the gallery. But this is the first time we have selected 11 foreign artists in our list of 40. We want to expose them to India and its art in an creative interface with their Indian counterparts,” gallery director Vikram Bachhawat told IANS.
The gallery had received 800 entries for the show.
According to Bachhawat, the show will be accompanied by exhibitions, workshop and open interactive sessions. It will feature all possible art forms including paintings, sculptures, textiles and fine prints. It will also include photography and video art, thus expanding the boundary of the conventional faculties of visual arts.
The show will begin with an interactive session between the Gen Next participants, art experts and media representatives at the Aakriti Art Gallery.
“The last two Gen Next shows have been instrumental in launching several young contemporary artists like Farhad Hussain, Birendra Pani, Debraj Goswami and Barun Chowdhury in the national auction circuit,” Bachhawat said.