Namchi to host annual painting exhibition ‘Brush Strokes VIII’ this year

GANGTOK, 13 Mar: Sikkim Akademi has announced to organize the annual state-level painting exhibition ‘Brush Strokes VIII’, from 18 to 20 March at the indoor gymnasium in Namchi. So far, thirty-five artists have confirmed their participation in the exhibition which is being sponsored by the Lalit Kala Akademi.
The three-day exhibition will have more than 150 paintings and the best five paintings will be awarded with Rs 10,000 each. Each artist is allowed to exhibit 10 paintings in the exhibition.
Addressing a press conference today, Sikkim Akademi president, GS Lama informed that this exhibition is the annual programme of the organization at Gangtok and this time it has been shifted to the district. He informed that apart from paintings of local artists the exhibition is also scheduled to display work by artists from outside the state.
The first day of the exhibition will also have a ‘Sit and Draw Competition’ for senior and junior students, in which 15 schools of in and around Namchi are scheduled to take part.  The best 10 paintings each in junior and senior will be awarded by Sikkim Akademi.
On 19 March, Sikkim Akademi is organizing the ‘General Knowledge Quiz Competition’ again for the students and six schools of Namchi are taking part in the competition. Likewise, the last day of the exhibition will also share the venue for the ‘Kavi Gosthi’, in which 15 poets of in and around Namchi will be reciting their poems.
Mr Lama mentioned that the exhibition is an annual feature of the Sikkim Akademi and was started in 2004 and has been providing an appropriate platform to the local artists to exhibit their work. He further stated that the exhibition has proved to be a means of boosting the morale of local artists. He added that due to this exhibition, many local artists have taken their work to the national and international platforms.
Mr Lama stated that this exhibition has led to the discovery of many new young artists and the number of visitors has been increasing every year. He informed that the exhibition has also recorded a good sale of paintings and further spoke about the various activities of the Sikkim Akademi.
Brush Strokes VIII is scheduled to be inaugurated by Namchi-Singhithang MLA, Binod Rai, while the closing function will have the South Zilla Adhyaksha, BM Rai as the chief guest.