Indus Valley Times

By Swagatika Bhutia

Bhubaneswar, Aug. 18: In a simple and elegant ceremony this evening, Honourable Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik released a special IPCA art book edition titled Bridging Centuries: An Artist’s Mirror On Kharavela And The Cave Carvings Of Udayagiri Hill, in the presence of Ms. Paramita Panda, Founder Trustee, IPCA, Ms. Panchami Manoo Ukil, Chairperson, IPCA Working Committee and Shri Shyamsunder Pattanayak, veteran artist.

An art volume that shines a light on Odisha’s unique art heritage and cultural legacy. An important reason for IPCA bringing this edition to public limelight is the fact that the work on paintings was inspired and guided by our legendary leader Shri Biju Patnaik, who had asked the artist to recreate the cave carvings of Udayagiri as paintings, way back in early 1960s. In an apt culmination of that vision, years later, the book has been released today by Hon’ble CM, Shri Naveen Patnaik.

Bridging Centuries records an incredible journey and the creative contribution of a master artist while also telling the story of a piece of Odisha’s art history, of an ancient time. Readers and aesthetes can get the rich fragrance of that golden period from this seminal work. It is hoped that this publication reaches as many people as possible, and that it captures the interest and imagination of all those who travel through its pages.

 Ila Panda Centre for Arts seeks to shine the light back on Odisha’s impeccable heritage. A non-profit platform with the mission of showcasing, promoting and conserving the visual arts of Odisha, IPCA has been constantly persevering towards creation of a perceptible art consciousness, alongside the promotion of and support for artists from Odisha, through various collaborative initiatives. IPCA’s interventions in the past seven years of its existence reflect its core vision and mission of bringing art and artists to the forefront in Odisha.