Odisha has a rich cultural and artistic heritage. The history of painting in Odisha in ancient tunes started with rock-shelter paintings. But the story of its contemporary art started as a reflection of Indian contemporary movement in the late 1950s and 60s.
Since the time of inception of the State Lalit Kala Akademi it has been working for the promotion of traditional, modern and contemporary art of the State. To promote contemporary artists of Odisha, Odisha Lalit Kala Akademi for the first time had organised an exhibition of Odishan contemporary painting in the premises of Karnataka Lalit Kala Akademi, Bengaluru from 14th to 16th October-2022.
Now the Akademi is organising another exhibition of Odishan contemporary an comprising of the paintings of both eminent senior and young artists of Odisha in collaboration with Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Zonal office (East). at Abanindranath Tagore Art Gallery, Kolkata, West Bengal from 30th’ October to 6th November-2022. Chief Guest Sri Aswini Kumar Patra, Hon’ble Minister Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department Govt. of Odisha inaugurated the exhibition in presence of Guest of Honour Sri Ranjan Kumar Das Director & Addl. Secretary to Govt. Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department Govt. of Odisha,Minakshi Mishra ,Zonal Director Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Zonal office (East) Kolkata, Sudarsan Pattnaik (Padamshree Awardee) President, Odisha Lalit Kala Akademi,Smt. Manaswini Sahoo Addl. Secretary to Govt. Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department Govt. of Odisha and Sri Panchanan Samal Secretary, Odisha Lalit Kala Akademi.
40 artists including Siba Panigrahi, Baladev Prasad Maharatha, Gajendra Kumar Padhi, Meenaketan Pattnaik, Bidyutlata Patsani, Parameswar Metier, Dash Munnu, Chintamani Biswal, Jaya Jena, Puspanjali Rao, Tunendra T’attnaik etc. participated in the said exhibition. No doubt, this exhibition will not only inspire contemporary artists of Odisha but also will be a leading scope to make them well known to interact with artist and art lovers of the country and abroad
