Excellence is a life-long journey - Akhil Chandra Das, Society of Contemporary Artists

In Part II of our photo essay on the Society of Contemporary Artists, we showcase more of their creative works and interview the organisation’s secretary, Akhil Chandra Das.

PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In the earlier 180 posts, we brought you a wide range of creative photographs from an art festival, cartoon gallery. world music festival, telecom expo, millets fair, climate change expo, wildlife conference, startup festival, Diwali rangoli, and jazz festival.

The Society of Contemporary Artists (SCA) was formed in 1960 in Kolkata, a major hub of traditional and contemporary art, covering rural, urban and abstract themes. Over the past six decades, SCA has held annual exhibitions in other cities as well, including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.

The group has also released a number of graphic albums of its artists. The Bengaluru exhibition at Gallery Time and Space, titled Journey Envisioned, features prints, paintings, sculptures, and sketches from 19 artists (see also our interview with Renu George, curator of the gallery).

The artist lineup includes Aditya Basak, Atanu Bhattacharya, Atin Basak, Ganesh Haloi, Bimal Kundu, Manik Talukdar, Manoj Dutta, Manu Parekh, Manoj Mittra, Niranjan Pradhan, Pankaj Panwar, Pradip Maitra, Rajen Mondal, Sanat Kar, and Srikanta Paul.

Audiences today are exposed to art as never before, both locally and globally, said SCA secretary Akhil Chandra Das in a chat with YourStory. “Experts and established artists need to be on their toes, to continue to inspire a new wave of artists,” he said.

Art education in India calls for a lot of improvement, but the artistic quest for excellence continues long after an arts degree. Two to three years of art education is only part of the foundation, says Akhil. Excellence is a life-long journey, he added.

Now what have you done today to support art communities and develop your creative side?

Got a creative photograph to share? Email us at [email protected]!

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