Principal Secretary Culture and School Education, Suresh Kumar Gupta, today inaugurated a three day International Art Exhibition cum Workshop titled ‘Valley City’ at the GR Santosh Gallery, Kala Kendra. The event, organized by Kala Kendra Society in collaboration with Art Express Gujarat, witnessed participation from dignitaries, artists and art lovers from across the globe.
In his address, Principal Secretary Suresh Kumar Gupta stressed that the event serves not just as an exhibition but also as a dynamic platform for interaction between local artists and 40 visual art experts from across India. He underscored the importance of art in education, noting that the workshop sessions would explore how visual arts foster cultural understanding and empathy.
Encouraging local youth, he announced that the workshop is open free of charge for art students from Jammu and Kashmir, providing them with a unique learning opportunity. Gupta further assured that Kala Kendra will be developed into a vibrant hub of art and appreciated the artists' contributions to the exhibition. Yudvir Sethi and Priya Sethi, also spoke on the occasion.
Dr. Babita Hada, curator of the exhibition and representative of Art Express Gujarat, mentioned that 50 artists from across India are participating in this unique event. The event also saw speeches from prominent artists like K K Gandhi, Richa Gupta, and Raj Kumar Chouhan, who shared their insights and praised the initiative.
The ‘Valley City’ art exhibition cum workshop will continue for the next two days. Earlier, Dr. Javaid Rahi, Secretary Kala Kendra Society, highlighted that the exhibition is featuring 150 artworks by 90 artists representing all states and union territories of India.
The exhibition's key attraction included contributions from artists hailing from 10 different countries, including Egypt, Venezuela, Argentina, Peru, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Taiwan, Nepal, and Poland.