On the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts inaugurated a special event. As part of this event, an exhibition of Ganesh sculptures from the collection of Lance Dane, spanning from the 12th to the 20th century, was opened for public viewing. Alongside, paintings by renowned artist K. Viswanathan were also showcased for visitors.

On this occasion, Shri Ram Bahadur Rai, President of IGNCA; Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary of IGNCA; Prof. Achal Pandya, Head of the Conservation and Cultural Archives Division; and Prof. Richa Kamboj, Head of the Kaladarsana Division, were also present. The exhibitions have been jointly organized by the Conservation and Kaladarsana Divisions of IGNCA and will remain on view at the Darshanam Gallery until September 5.

It is noteworthy that Lance Dane was a British art historian and collector who dedicated his life to the timeless values of art. The exhibition presents various forms of Ganesh as the son of Shiva and Parvati and the brother of Kartikeya. For this reason, the exhibition has been titled ‘Vighneshwara Kutumb: Ganesh and His Family’ by the Conservation Division of IGNCA.

Inaugurating the exhibition, IGNCA President and Padma Bhushan awardee Ram Bahadur Rai said that the true purpose of such exhibitions lies in taking them to as many people as possible. He especially emphasized the importance of introducing the younger generation to such cultural heritage. In his address, Shri . Rai also remarked that Ganesh is an integral part of our lives and a guide on the path of knowledge and culture.

Professor Achal Pandya, Head of the Conservation and Cultural Archives Division, said that in recent years IGNCA has undertaken efforts to bring its collections to the public. In this series, IGNCA has presented these sculptures from the Lance Dane collection. Acquiring them has been a matter of satisfaction for us. We are also bringing artworks from other collections to the public so that people can connect with the rich cultural heritage of the country.

The event witnessed an enriching presence of cultural connoisseurs, scholars, and a diverse audience from the general public.

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Sunil Kumar Tiwari

pibculture[at]gmail[dot]com

(Release ID: 2161368)