Post-liberalization, most of the art initiative in India was wrested by Delhi as opposed to the old vanguards Mumbai and Kolkata. The biggest evidence of the shift was in the sprouting of a zillion galleries in the capital, far more than either of the other two could boast of. The apogee was reached in the founding of India Art Fair in New Delhi. But then, the fruits of art seeds laid during the early years of economic liberalization struck roots far and wide. The Kochi Biennale is testimony to the fact that the new, post post-modern art movement in the country has touched the deep corners that had for long remained divorced from the elite mainstream. Nothing else can explain the courage that Bose Krishnamachari and Riyas Komu showed in creating Kochi Biennale despite having built a name for themselves as artists both at the national and international levels. Kolkata may just be doing that too with the CIMA Awards and Kolkata Art Festival, whose second edition will be held from February 4 through March 4. Spearheaded by Rakhi Sarkar as project director — the director of Kolkata-based CIMA (Centre of International Modern Art) — it firmly refocuses the spotlight on Kolkata that is inarguably the first art capital that India had.A biennial event that launches a nationwide search for talent in visual arts, its uniqueness lies in keeping the name and geographical identity of the artist under wraps till the very end. That’s important in a country with strong regional identities and proclivities that often lead to partisan decisions. At a meet in Delhi recently, held to announce the details of the 2nd CIMA Awards and Kolkata Art Festival, Sarkar said, “It was a conscious decision to not reveal the geographical identity of the participants as we want to give an equal platform to artists from all over the country, the big cities as well as the smaller towns. And we are impressed with the entries we have received for the second edition of the awards — they are from all over the country. The idea is to bridge the gap between urban and semi-urban India, and to promote the rich variety of Indian arts.”The first award in 2015 went to Mansoor Ali Makrani from Baroda, who won Rs 5 lakh, a trophy and a solo show at CIMA Kolkata. The show, titled “Whose Chair is it, Anyway?” was held at the gallery August 5-20, 2016. Initiated and supported by Art & Heritage Foundation (AHF), a non-profit body, and partnered by CIMA, the second edition will begin with the awards ceremony on February 4 at Hotel Oberoi Grand, Kolkata. The award-winning works will be held at the CIMA Gallery in the city from February 5 to March 5. Other awards that will be given are the 1st Runner Up, 2nd Runner Up, two special jury awards, two special mention awards, four merit awards and four Director’s Choice awards. The last will be given on Sarkar’s discretion if she feels that any region or discipline has missed out on winning an award.What makes the initiative significant is the fact that it pushes institutional art practise in the country to the next level, beyond the collective euphoria of exhibitions galore at one or the other gallery or museum. Says Sarkar, “As stakeholders in the world of Indian art, we have to collectively bring a more informed approach to the way we nurture this field. I wanted the awards to become a reason for budding artists to push the envelope, and not just be bothered about how to get a show in a gallery. We have to encourage the next generation of artists.”The second edition has considerably expanded over the previous one to include multi-disciplines through over 30 collateral projects to be held at various venues across Kolkata. A highlight will be the International Symposium, which is being added to the second edition of the awards to lend it depth that is not a common feature with many art festivals in the country. Dr Alka Pande, who is helming the project as its director, says, “The International Symposium will feature scholars from India and abroad, to investigate the historical processes that underpin the visual narrative of art practise in India.” Some key features participating in the symposium include Chris Decron, former director, Tate Modern; Suman Mukherjee, filmmaker and theater director; Sophie Makariou, president and curator, Musée Guimet; Sunil Khilnani, professor and director, Kings India Institute, Kings College, London; and Yuko Hasegawa, chief curator, Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, among others. For details, visit cimaawards.in
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