The national animal of India, the tiger has been celebrated for centuries in Indian art, culture, and heritage. But, over the past few decades, this magnificent animal has been losing its home and pride, thanks to loss of prime forest habitats, poaching and increasing conflict. The presence of tigers represents a healthy and sound ecosystem. In order to conserve the entire wilderness of the ecosystem, the conservation of tigers is the key.
“Tigris – The Queen of wildlife”by Maurizio Boscheri and Daniel Calovi, curated by Mario Liberali and organised by the Consulate General of Italy in Kolkata in collaboration with the Kolkata Centre for Creativity.‘This exhibition is part of the programme to celebrate the 75 years of bilateral diplomatic relations between Italy and India’ the Consul General of Italy in Kolkata underlines, ‘and it will be accompanied by a series of events, such as painting and restoration workshops with local artists and students, and a seminar on tiger conservation’.In the words of the curator, Mario Liberali, ‘seventeen oils and mixed media on canvas have been created, on gold or silver leaf backgrounds,through traditional painting methods as well as the application of semiprecious stones, and in all of them the protagonist is one: the Royal Bengal Tiger,the national animal of India. It is the first time the works by Maurizio and Daniel are exhibited in India, and with this show we also want to create awareness about wildlife conservation and environmental protection.’
The exhibition opens to the public on 16th September at the Kolkata Centre for Creativity, Kolkata. In the following days three workshopswill be organized, focused on painting, application of mix media on canvas,and restoration, on 17th , 20th& 24th of September. The workshops will include art students from renowned art colleges across the city who will join Maurizio Boscheri and Daniel Calovipaint a subject taking inspiration from the works of these two Italian artists. A seminar with experts on tiger conservation, open to the general public, will take place on 23rd.
During the workshops the Italian artists will paint two canvas for the Durga Puja Pandal, 71 Palli,BaishakhiSarbojaninDurgotsabSamity, as a further demonstration of the strong bond between our two cultures and two peoples.
