Artistes want international barriers removed for promotion of art

Amritsar, Nov.11 (ANI): Removal of barriers at international borders and collaborations between educational institutions of various countries is necessary to promote and learn international style of art of paintings.

This is the view emerging out of the gathering of noted artistes, who have converged here from different parts of the country and abroad to participate in an ongoing international conference titled "A Visual Dialogue on Contemporary Art " being held from November 10 to 12, 2010 at BBK DAV College for Women in Amritsar city.

The dean of the School of Visual Arts at Beacon House National University, Salima Hashmi, has urged the people of India and Pakistan to live as good neighbours and open up arms with genuine affection and understanding to share and celebrate their rich culture and art.

"An artist does not belong to any country as his community is mankind," she added.

About India, Salima Hashmi said, India was rich in patronage for art which was missing in Pakistan. The artistes in Pakistan have to depend on themselves to promote art.

She said Amritsar was changing from sleepy border city to vibrant centre of Punjab adding that she visits it quite often and the place was very close to her heart as her parents met here.

Meanwhile, Neeta Mohindera, another artiste said that international art fairs and workshops should be held for promotion of international art among the artistes of all countries.

She said that Governments should give scholarships and grants to artistes under which they could move to other countries to learn many new forms of art.

She said that she has come here to participate in the event as it was a great opportunity for her to come to the place from where she started her career and she wanted to share Irish styles of paintings with the Indian students Neelima Sheikh, a noted artist from Delhi, said that visas should be given easily to the artistes and the artistes should also take initiatives to take small delegations to Pakistan and other countries as there were many other things to learn. By Sawinder Singh (ANI)