Jakanachari award winner Yogiraj Shilpi opens ‘sculpture camp’

Mysore/Mysuru: Art is not a big adventure. Artist, if he has creativity, can go anywhere, and promote it, opined B.S. Yogiraj Shilpi, noted sculptor and a winner of  ‘Jakanachari’ award.

He was speaking after inaugurating a 15-day ‘Contemporary Sculpture Camp’ organised jointly by Karnataka Shilpakala Academy and Chamarajedra Government College of Visual Arts (CAVA) at the College premises here yesterday.

Shilpi said teachers must properly guide students. The students must make use of it and develop their own knowledge to grow up. This would ensure their personal growth as well of this art. Art cannot be acquired only through education but also through hard work and perseverance.  A few think that they were good sculptors just because they studied in abroad. It was the wish of many youngsters to learn sculpture from experts. Academic qualification was not required to become a good sculptor but one must have discipline and interest to learn.

Veeranna M. Arkasali, Chairman, Karnataka Shilpakala Academy, said the Academy has been holding State and National level camps in many districts with the co-operation of organisations. This year, the Academy was celebrating its silver jubilee. There had been a lot of appreciation for the Karnataka sculpture at a special camp held at Phagwara district in Punjab State recently. It was very difficult to hold such camps in other States and find success. But they have been successful in this endeavour, he noted.

B.R. Poornima, Dean, CAVA and Commissioner, Department of Archaeology, Heritage and Museums, said almost nine months lost due to COVID-19 pandemic and it was happy to note that the sculpture camp was held after a decade. This was a second national camp, she added.

As many as 30 experienced sculptors from all over the country were participating in this 15-day camp.

Nirmala Mathapati, Administrative Officer, CAVA, K. Raghavendra, Head, Department of Sculpture, R. Chandrashekar, Registrar, Karnataka Shilpakala Academy and M. Ramamurthy, Camp Director, were present.