Book release and expo-cum-sale of art works

Mysuru is gifted with many jewels in the fields of art such as dance, drama, music, painting, culture, sculpture and what not. In other words, it is the cultural capital of Karnataka. For this purpose, many institutions are established to promote art. However, there are very few individuals who know the art of growing together. Such people grow taller and are exemplary in the society and one such is sculptor L. Shivalingappa, who is also an established painter and a writer, who set up the Mysore Art Gallery.

This year the Mysore Art Gallery is celebrating its decennial year. Shivalingappa derives pleasure in writing articles about art and artists and has continuously been writing for more than 30 years, at the same time recognising others’ talents by honouring them every month in his own Gallery on Ramanuja Road.

Shivalingappa is known for maintaining the tradition as well as patronising modern art. His creative and intellectual brain has enriched the art field and after working in Bengaluru when he decided to shift to Mysuru in the year 2006 he founded ‘Mysore Art Gallery’ in the year 2008.

This year a function has been organised to commemorate ten years of dedication to art, culture and to artists both known and unknown. He has a broad approach and as a result while encouraging the artists and their art, he provides his premises to arrange exhibitions free of cost.

He has big plans for his art as well as other artists. In this noble cause he is assisted by his wife Prabha Shivalingappa (Treasurer), Dr. Jamuna Rani Mirle (Secretary), B.M. Ramchandra of Rajeshwari Vastralankara, M. Chandrashekar and Rajashekar Kadamba of Kadamba Ranga Vedike.

A function has been arranged on Dec.16 to release two books authored by Shivalingappa at Suchitra Art Gallery in Kalamandira premises, along with a seminar and exhibition-cum-sale of art pieces by different artists for two days on Dec. 16 and 17.

On the first day, two books namely ‘Kalanveshaka Trayaru’ and ‘Saadhakara Savihejje’  will be released by Prof. Malali Vasanthkumar at 10 am. The first book is about painter-trio Picasso of France, Anandkumar Swamy of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and K.K. Hebbar of Karnataka. The second book is about 25 artists, their talent and creative work in different fields.  The idea of Mysore Art Gallery to know about the artists and their work is the brainchild of Shivalingappa. He has not stopped at just collecting the information but gone one step ahead by inviting them with honour and arranging felicitation so that art-loving people of Mysuru will know more about these people through the novel concept of one artist for one month ‘Saadhakarondige Samvaada’ and as such providing a platform for the artists as well as art-lovers to interact directly with the artist and    know their journey of life through art.

—Dr. Manik A.V. Bengeri

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