Jammu, April 15: Kala Kendra Jammu, in collaboration with the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL), Tuesday organised a special event to celebrate World Art Day. To mark the occasion, an exclusive art exhibition featuring 50 unique artworks was inaugurated at the G.R. Santosh Art Gallery by Harvinder Kour, Secretary of JKAACL, in the presence of artists, writers, intellectuals and art enthusiasts.
In his welcome address, Dr Javaid Rahi, Secretary of Kala Kendra, noted that UNESCO declared 15 April as World Art Day in honour of Leonardo da Vinci’s birthday — a symbol of creativity, multidisciplinary thinking, and artistic excellence. He stated that Kala Kendra and the Academy jointly organised this event to promote awareness of creative art and to celebrate the contributions of artists to society and the development of civilisation. The exhibition, he said, displays rare and diverse forms of artistic expression for the general public, showcasing the cultural richness of the region.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Guest Harvinder Kour underlined the vital role of art in preserving and promoting culture. She informed the audience about the Academy’s year-round initiatives to support various art forms and highlighted the launch of an Annual Calendar of Activities aimed at nurturing visual arts, literature and performing arts.
The works of renowned artists such as Padma Shri N. D. Jawal, Dev Dass, A. R. Jahn, Padma Shri Rajinder Tickoo, Yung S. Verman, Noushad Gayoor, Vijay Saraf Menagi, Suman Gupta, Mehboob and Shuja Sultan were among the standout pieces on display. The exhibition, inaugurated today, will remain open to the public until 16 April 2025 at Kala Kendra, Jammu.