After the recent vastu correction, the CM’s camp office is set to undergo another makeover — this one involving art. For the past month, the art community had been abuzz with expectations that the CM’s camp office, which the new TRS government was earlier hesitating to move into, would be turned into a full-fledged art museum. But despite Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao deciding to go ahead and move in, the plans to showcase art at the office remains in place.
TRS MP and founder of Telangana Jagruti, which is known for its Telangana cultural activities, K. Kavitha, confirmed, “Although we are not turning the Camp Office into a museum, Telangana art will go on display prominently. “All of the art will be from the Telangana region,” she adds. Kavitha, however, couldn’t confirm when the art makeover would take place.
Artist Laxman Aelay, who worked closely with the CM for the Telangana government logo, reveals, “KCR is very passionate and knowledgeable about Telangana art. And this move only goes to prove how important art is for the government. And it’s a great encouragement for the artist community.”
According to artist and curator Avani Rao, who has seen several artists give up practice due to lack of encouragement, this gesture will breathe a new lease of life for artists. “Support for art from the previous governments was weak. The last four years of economic recession has drained the artists’ reserves on all fronts. I have witnessed many artists dilute or give up practice due to lack of patronage and resources,” she says.
The political movement was supplemented by art through the years with artists like Ramana Reddy holding camps to produce art on the region, of the region or that inspired by the movement. Recently, he even held a celebratory show under the banner of Telangana Artists’ Forum that will work further towards promoting the region’s art and young blood.
Among the youngsters who were part of the Kotha Panduga art show was the very promising Glower Paul. “Art market (buyers) here has largely seen art only as decorative items. But this gestures puts so much of importance to art, as it will hang on the walls to tell the tale of how art had the power to create revolutions,” he adds.
