Dear Reader,
It is a matter of sheer delight for me to address you from the Director’s desk. As we are very well aware of the reality of Humanities, the more idea of one more institution of fine arts, and that too, a self financed one, looked a farfetched idea, and we were well aware of the manifold challenges ahead of us when all the existing models of art education in India are undergoing an existential crisis. The reorientation of priorities in art education is the need of the hour. Taking into consideration the wisdom of these existing models we have worked towards obtaining greater clarity for the task ahead of us. A year for it I am sure is insignificant and yet I do want to celebrate the meager light we have managed to kindle for ourselves. Here I am reminded of the artist Nandalal Bose(1882-1966), the most revered teacher: the Master Moshai. When he was in his early thirties, and when he had just joined Shantiniketan, he was faced with contradictory impulses pulling him in different directions. At that moment of his search of coherence, he was consoled by the principals of art formulated by the great visionary of modern Japan: Kakuzo Okakura (1863-1913). Esp. the dictum: ‘…Fulfilment of Art depends on these three – Tradition, Nature, Originality.’ Though these words were pronounced decades ago they still have a resonance. I at this juncture propose to inculcate, if possible, to rediscover for ourselves the true meaning of these three words. And all the while at the time when our opinions are considered as statements and the rhetoric’s have been fabricating intellectual cacophonies in the name of discourses. It is the time we work for the open spaces for dialogues, in the words of our poet laureate Shri Umashankar Joshi, the spaces for Goshthi to take place. I invite you to join us in whatever capacity you could, may be just as a well wisher, may be a connoisseur or a student to make the dream of few of us a dream of us. It would also add a luster to the pleasant place called Vallabh Vidyanagar.
With best wishes and warm regards,