Durga puja is west bengal’s largest festival and while the fundamental purpose of durga puja is to worship Goddess Durga and her four children in accordance with traditional rites, it has become more grandiose and spectacular every year. bengal’s largest religious festival has evolved over the course of more than a century into a secular communal celebration, a large-scale public ritual, a mega carnival and an open-air exhibition of artwork made by some of the most well-known artists and art designers in the nation.
In kolkata and across the state, durga puja celebrations go beyond their religious roots to transform the entire city into an enthralling public art exhibition. It represents a remarkable fusion of traditional craftsmanship and contemporary artistic expression, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil. Over time, both idols and pandals have transformed into breathtaking works of art involving months of planning and execution. he advent of ‘themed’ pujas has contributed majorly to this transformation. The trend has helped unknown artists embrace puja designing as a full-time career. synthetic materials, massive pandals and flashing lights have been replaced by natural resources such as straw, jute, bamboo, mud, and clay. Every year, kolkata is presented with new categories of durga puja Art and artists, displaying ever newer templates of contemporary Art and design, diverse and creative enough to rival any international Art festival. The durga puja Art preview show organized by massArt is a journey through the entire process, from conception to the outcome. using innovative audio-visual techniques, massArt provides an immersive experience that will leave the audience with unforgettable memories of bengal’s largest festival and convince them of its rightful claim to being the world’s largest public art exhibition. speaking at the inaugural ceremony, mr. dhruvajyoti bose suvo, secretary, massArt, said, “we are delighted to invite you to the durga puja Art preview show, which honours india and bengal’s rich and varied cultural history. this exhibition, which has been put together by massArt, in association with unesco and british council, showcases the creativity of talented artists from different regions and backgrounds. the show aims to promote intercultural dialogue, artistic expression, and social inclusion through the medium of Art. come celebrate with us and see the exquisite brilliance and beauty of indian Art.” ms alison barrett, mbe, director india british council, said: “ i am delighted to be part of the massArt durga puja preview festival, celebrating the rich culture of bengal. the british council’s work in creative and cultural economy, in particular the landmark ‘mapping the creative economy around durga puja’ report commissioned by the department of tourism, government of west bengal, underlines the economic significance of large public Arts festivals for artists, artisans, allied industries, and the state. we are delighted to be the international knowledge partner for the durga puja preview festival and excited about the experience that’s on offer for the visitors. it’s also a great example of how technology can amplify cultural reach and even promote sustainable festival practices. british council’s Arts programmes are focused on creating festivals for the future, and it is heartening to see some of those practices being implemented so seamlessly here.” this year unesco has listed massArt’s preview show 2023 of durga puja Art as part of its 20th anniversary celebration of the convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage to be held in Paris later in the year. for everyone connected to the durga puja Art, this recognition is an occasion of immense pride. this year, 26 puja locations offering the city’s top art installations were chosen by massArt following a careful review procedure. from october 11 through october 15, Art enthusiasts from all around the world will be able to view their brilliance from 6pm to 5am, except for two bonedi barir (artistocratic) pujo where it will be from 11am to 6pm. an exhibition that is free and open to the public, will offer Art lovers a behind-the-scenes peek at how durga puja Art is made. mr. dhruvajyoti bose suvo, secretary, massArt, added, “last year, we made a very humble beginning by hosting a first-of-its-kind durga puja Art preview show. both locally and globally, it attracted the attention of art enthusiasts. the main reason for holding the durga puja Art preview show is to bring attention to the exceptional Artwork that has been mostly disregarded for a very long time. we are sure that this year’s preview exhibition of durga puja Art 2023 would be more enlightening and interesting for art
