Art feast served on canvas for connoisseurs in Mangalore

Mangalore, Mar 6: The annual art exhibition of Mahalasa College of Fine Art was a feast for art lovers, with around 220 paintings featured by 88 students pursuing the five-year Bachelor of Visual Arts course at Mahalasa College of Fine Art in Mangalore.

Bold strokes of colour, interweaving hues and shades and intricate designs on canvasses reflected the various moods of the paintings that were done by students in water, acrylic and oil colours. Various forms of painting such as still life, portraits, pencil sketches, modern art, landscapes, illustrations, poster designs and reproduction art were exhibited at the Mahalasa Art Gallery on Wednesday.

There was also a display of traditional art form featuring the Mysore style of creating murals, along with 2D designs and combination of colours made by first year students. Also on display were 19 professionally-shot photographs, 12 poster-designs and clay sculptures made by students as part of their curriculum. These sculptures were coated by a thin layer of plaster of Paris to give them a refined look.

Speaking after inaugurating the exhibition, art aficionado Naina Fernandes said that art was one of the most powerful medium in the society today, and it was in the hands of the young artists.

“An exhibition is a good opportunity to understand the mind of an artist and to understand the reasons and imagination behind those strokes and thoughts that have gone behind the painting. It demonstrates the enormous potential of working together. In Mangalore, it is very important to appreciate local artists. The increasing number of paintings being sold today should inspire and encourage art students. I encourage Mangalorean artists and often purchase works of art,” she said, adding that around 40-45 per cent of people in Mangalore had the ability to buy original works of art.

Encouraging the students, she advised that hardships were small compared to the success and recognition they could achieve in the field of art.

Art teacher Taranath Kairangala spoke on his experiences as a student of art in the Mahalasa College. He said that freedom in experimenting was the biggest gift that he had received while learning art.

President of Lions Club Mangalore Dr Kedige Aravinda Rao made the presidential address. Principal of the college Purushottam Nayak made the introductory remarks. Professor N S Pattar welcomed the gathering on the occasion.

Mahalasa College of Fine Art Aided Visual art Institute is affiliated to Kannada University at Hampi.