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Kolkata Gears Up For Its Debut Art Biennale

Kolkata Gears Up For Its Debut Art Biennale
(FILES) In this file picture taken on January 14, 2004, Indian artist Maqbool Fida (M.F) Hussain poses for photographers at the inauguration of his exhibition '...and not only 88 of Hussain' at the National Art Gallery in Bombay. A documentary by a controversial Indian artist will be shown at the country's most prestigious film festival, despite a row with hardline Hindu nationalists, organisers said on November 26, 2008. Two right-wing groups had protested against M.S. Husain's 1967 film 'Through the Eyes of a Painter', and earlier succeeded in getting it taken off the schedule of the International Film Festival of India in the resort state of Goa. AFP PHOTO/Sebastian D'SOUZA (Photo credit should read SEBASTIAN D'SOUZA/AFP/Getty Images)
SEBASTIAN D'SOUZA via Getty Images
(FILES) In this file picture taken on January 14, 2004, Indian artist Maqbool Fida (M.F) Hussain poses for photographers at the inauguration of his exhibition '...and not only 88 of Hussain' at the National Art Gallery in Bombay. A documentary by a controversial Indian artist will be shown at the country's most prestigious film festival, despite a row with hardline Hindu nationalists, organisers said on November 26, 2008. Two right-wing groups had protested against M.S. Husain's 1967 film 'Through the Eyes of a Painter', and earlier succeeded in getting it taken off the schedule of the International Film Festival of India in the resort state of Goa. AFP PHOTO/Sebastian D'SOUZA (Photo credit should read SEBASTIAN D'SOUZA/AFP/Getty Images)

Over 200 artworks by masters and contemporary artists from Asia, Europe, America and Africa will be on display at the city's first art biennale beginning on April 7, the organisers said.

Christened 'Calcutta Art Biennale-2015', the international art biennale is organised by Roymans Art Studio (London, Calcutta, Ankara) and will include photographs, graphic art, paintings and sculptures.

"For the first time, the city is going to experience the international art biennale from April 7 to April 19. This art biennale is taking place under the license of European Art Society of London," said artist Manas Roymans, convenor of the event and founder of the art studio on Friday.

Artworks from famed artists like M.F. Hussain, S.H. Raza, Nandalal Bose, Ramananda Bandopadhyay, Jogen Chowdhury, Alexander Tokarev, John Wieser, Wasim Kapoor and many other Indian artists will be presented in the show, said the convenor.

Roy, whose own creations will be showcased, said the main aim was to provide a chance to many local artists who could not participate in the international art biennales (mainly in Europe) due to unaffordable cost.

"They can now get an opportunity to participate in a global licensed biennale in the city itself and become qualified as biennale artist," Roy said.

Adding to the variety will be projects by visual artists from countries like the Netherlands, the U.K., Turkey, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Senegal, Uganda, Qatar, Kuwait, USA, and Taiwan. Felicitations and interactive sessions have also been planned, said Roy.

The show will be held at the Birla Academy of Art and Culture.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.