Chitra Santhe: Dark spell on Kumara Krupa Road in 2020?

Visitors view artworks displayed during the Chitra Santhe organised at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath on Sunday. DH photo/Satish Badiger

Sea of art lovers: Thousands of art lovers descended on the one-kilometre stretch between Sivananda Circle and Windsor Manor Junction to witness the fair. DH Photos/Ranju P

Witnessing overwhelming participation from the artists and art lovers, the 16th edition of the Chitra Santhe — Bengaluru’s popular art festival on Sunday ended on a grand note.

However, questions over the continuity of the festival have left the artists community worried with the state government considering shifting the venue of the popular art festival.

Taking part in the festival Water Resources minister DK Shivakumar said that Chitra Santhe would be shifted from the Kumarakrupa Road from next year.

“We have been considering identification of a dedicated space where the festival can be held even more systematically from the forthcoming year,” Shivakumar told reporters on the sidelines of the fair.

Thousands at the fair

Meanwhile, thousands of art lovers descended on the one kilometre stretch between Sivananda Circle and Windsor Manor Juntcion to witness the fair.

Paintings ranging from a small portrait to life-size canvasses, mesmerising installations on either side of the street by both the amateur and
renowned artists beckoned people from different walks of life.

According to Harish Padmanabha, chairperson of the organising committee, a total of 1,500 artists from 16 states attended the fair and exhibited their works.

A few even worked on the spot on large canvasses while many others offering to sketch visitors’ images.

“A total of four lakh people attended the fair,” Harish said.

Coinciding with the 150-year of Gandhiji’s birthday, a replica of Gandhi Kuteera was set up at the venue besides exhibiting rare pictures of Gandhi’s life and works.

Works donated for relief

More than 300 artists who took part in the fair donated their works to the Chitra Kala Parishat (CKP) and urged the officials to auction them and donate the funds to the Kodagu-Kerala relief fund.

“We have collected all such artworks and all of them will be put on sale at the art mart located on the CKP campus,” Harish briefed.

“The office bearers of the Chitra Santhe organising committee will determine the price of these works and the money will be donated to the relief fund,” Harish added.