Brushstrokes-VIII begins in Namchi

NAMCHI, 18 March: The State-Level Painting Exhibition 2012, ‘Brushstrokes-VIII’, was inaugurated today here at the Indoor Stadium Gymnasium Hall by Namchi-Singithang MLA, Binod Rai.
The exhibition will continue till 20 March and has been organized by the Sikkim Akademi. The exhibition has the participation of artists from as far as Dalkhola Uttar Dinajpur in West Bengal, to those from Namchi, Samsing, Gyalshing, Khecheopalri, Rinchenpong, Gangtok, Rhenock and Jorethang. The Sikkim Akademi president, GS Lama, in his welcome address, provided a background of this state level painting exhibition and explained that the exhibition was being held in Namchi this year keeping in mind the larger interests of artists from the South district. The featured artists were introduced to the audience and feted with khadas.
The chief guest, in his address, congratulated the participating artists and also detailed the various developmental works being carried by the government, including the support provided to the creative fields.
During the second session of the day’s programme, an Inter-School Sit & Draw Contest in Junior and Senior categories was held at the same venue participated in by students from13 schools of Namchi and surrounding areas.
On the second day, 19 March, an Inter-School Quiz Contest is scheduled while the last day will have a poets meet. Also on the concluding day, an interactive session with participating artists will be held.

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.