“Amar Nath Sehgal was the pillar of Modern Art world”. Prof. Biman Das

New Delhi: At Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, literature and art came together as it organised an inauguration of art exhibition “A Life in Black and White – Amar Nath Sehgal’ and also held its series of monthly book reading session namely ‘Prastuti: Aakhar’ on the book titled “A River Sings: The Ganga from Gangotri to Haridwar” by Dr. Anjali Capila and published by IGNCA. The exhibition was organised in joint collaboration with Amar Nath Sehgal Private Collection on the occasion of centenary birth anniversary of legendary artist Shri Amar Nath Sehgal,Padma Bhushan. This exhibition is unique in the sense that for the first time the paper work of Amar Nath Sehgal is being displayed in an art gallery. The chief guest at the event was Prof. Biman Das, Chairman, All India Fine Arts and Craft Society. The event was also blessed by the gracious presence of Prof. (Dr.) Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary, IGNCA, Shri Rajan Sehgal, Founder Director, Amar Nath Sehgal Private Collection and Dr. Priyanka Mishra, Director (Administration), IGNCA. Prof. Richa Kamboj, HoD, Kaladarshna Division, IGNCA was present at the event. The exhibition will continue till February 16 at the Darshanam Gallery of Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts. The curator of the exhibition is Mandira Rowe, Resident Curator, Amar Nath Sehgal Private Collection.

On this occasion Prof. Biman B. Das recalled his days with Amarnath Sehgal ji, “Shri Sehgal was an artist who worked in spontaneity and was a very energetic person. He was a pillar of the modern art world and is source of an inspiration for the art fraternity”. He expressed happiness over the recognition of shri Sehgal’s work. He urged the people to visit the Amarnath Sehgal Private Museum located in New Delhi to see more of his works.

Dr. Sachidanand Joshi said, “It is a matter of pleasure and pride for us that we are organizing the exhibition ‘A Life in Black and White – Amarnath Sehgal’, in which paper work of Amarnath Sehgal ji has been displayed. The exhibition will definitely prove to be a visual treat for art lovers, art connoisseurs and scholars.” Dr. Joshi also added that endeavor like this very important as this brings works like this into discourse of young people without which its rightful purpose shall not be solved.

Shri Rajan Sehgal expressed immense pleasure making the works of this father available to IGNCA and his father must be happy to be looking down from heaven. He also thanked IGNCA for holding this exhibition. In the end Prof. Richa Kamboj extended a formal vote of thanks to the dignitaries and the audience present at the event.

Dr. Anjali Capila’s book “A River Sings: The Ganga from Gangotri to Haridwar” is documentation of riverine culture’s and people’s perspective of the river ‘Ganga’ from Gangotri to Haridwar. Dr. Anjali Capila shared a personal anecdote of how she saw a dream in which a woman appeared clad in white and said to the author that “You listen to the songs of women, why do you not tell my song to the people”, that is when Dr. Capila decided to research and write on the topic. Subsequently she wrote to Program Advisory Committee of IGNCA with a proposal of research to document songs of river ‘Ganga’ from people’s perspective and she expressed her gratefulness to Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi and IGNCA for sanctioning the project. She further added that this is an ethnographic and participatory research and is an interesting story of riverine culture and people. She also added that intangible cultural heritage can’t be deciphered unless people on ground are heard as the river is interdependent to culture, ecology and development. The songs talk about different aspects of life and through these songs different aspects of river Ganga were deciphered. Dr. Capila also sang a song which means “Ganga you are beloved maa, we pray to Bhagirathi to bring you on earth”. She reiterated that tradition is in continuity and the book is the culmination of tradition and modernity. For Dr. Capila the book is not just an expression of her findings of the river in words but is a journey which had both emotional and psychological impact on her, it’s more than a book to her. She eventually concluded by saying that the river can’t be divorced from its ecology. Dr. Priyanka Mishra while speaking at the event shared an anecdote and said that during her childhood when her father was associated with ‘Chipko movement’ she heard the songs in Uttarakhand and that’s when she understood how river and ecology are close to us.