Kal Kendra shines with creativity: All-women painters exhibition begins in Jammu

Jammu, Jan 20: Suresh Kumar Gupta, Principal Secretary of Culture and School Education Monday inaugurated a 5-day All-Women Painters Exhibition at Kala Kendra, Jammu, in the presence of a galaxy of artists, painters, and visual art experts.
The event, organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages (JKAACL), is being hosted across all three galleries of Kala Kendra. Speaking on the occasion, Suresh Gupta emphasised the significant role women play in society and highlighted how the exhibition reflects their inner hopes, thoughts on beauty, and connection with nature. He appreciated the vibrant visual art scene of Jammu and commended JKAACL for organising this purposeful event in the heart of the city. Gupta also urged budding artists to take advantage of the Academy’s schemes and utilise Kala Kendra as a platform to explore and express their creative talents.
Harvinder Kour, Secretary of JKAACL, stated that the exhibition aims to exclusively project the art and creativity of women. She announced that the academy is planning more such events to cover areas previously overlooked, ensuring broader outreach and representation.
Dr. Javaid Rahi, Chief Editor, informed the gathering that the exhibition features 30 artworks, including 12 created during a recently concluded women’s camp at Kala Kendra. He noted that students from the Institute of Music and Fine Arts, Jammu, visited the camp, enriching their learning experience.
Prominent dignitaries present at the event included Padma Balwant Thakur, Dr. Lalit Gupta, O.P. Vidhayrathi, Sangeeta Sharma, Yung S. Verman, Rohit Verma, Rakesh Sharma, and Inder Singh. Women painters such as Anjali Bharti, Mahua Gupta, Shruti Sharma, Nidhi Jain, Isha Sharma, Mania Kapoor, Ifra Jan, Snober Jilani, Sabina Khan, Renu, Retika, and Preeti Sharma also graced the occasion. The exhibition was curated by Irshad Tantry, Exhibition Officer, while Popinder Singh Paras, Editor (Punjabi), JKAACL, presented the vote of thanks.