Objective
In keeping with India's established tradition of meeting rest violence with non
violence and destruction with renewed creativity, Habiart Foundation (India) staged
a creative protest via the medium of visual art. Titled
Sphote, a Sanskrit
word meaning creative sound the regional workshops aimed to counter the act of violence
and demolition (Visphote) by painting on the spot, images related to peace.
Presentation of Peace Panels to Dignitaries in the Indian Parliament, December 2002
On 18th December 2002 Habiart Foundation presented a peace panel (depicting the
Budha) from the special collection to His Holiness, the Dalai Lama and former CM Hon'ble Narendra Modi at Habiart Centre,
New Delhi. His Holiness welcomed the creative and non-violent movement undertaken
by the foundation.
Beginning 2001 April and ending October 2002, the project involved one hundred and
fifty Indian artists and designers, along with nine artists from Nepal.
Fourteen peace panels (each consisting of nine canvases measuring one square foot)
were designed as expression of peace.
Renowned writers Ashok Vajpai, Chitra Mudgal, Dr. Saryu Doshi, Dr. B.K. Modi, Gagan
Gil, Ian Baker, Ramesh Shah along with eminent personalities, S.K. Sharma, Nirmala
Deshpande, Shivraj Patil, Lhatsun Rimpoche participated in the regional workshops.
Peace song was rendered by the famous singer Soma Ghosh. His excellency Shri K.R.
Narayan (Ex-President of India), Smt. Najma Heptulla (Deputy Chairperson - Rajya
Sabha), Shri Digvijay Singh (CM, MP), Mr. Feaoder Starcevic (Director UN Information
Centre) and His Excellency Mr. Q.A.M.A. Rahim - SAARC Secretary General were presented
rice paper drawings and peace panels as a gesture of solidarity.
Art as a Medium
Visual images are as powerful as reality and, once seen, cannot be easily destroyed.
Thus the paintings designed by the artists are also a testament to the empathy felt
by the global community with all those have suffered. In the words of an eminent
artist, Satish Gujral,
"art is the last defence of man against human follies."
Venue
Workshops were held in prime centers of contemporary art, namely - New Delhi, Mumbai,
Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bhopal, Shantiniketan, and Nepal.
Know more about the participating artists under this project
Partnering Organizations / Institutions
The project was supported by the Bharat Bhawan (Bhopal), Genesis Art Gallery (Kolkata),
ICCR (Hyderabad), Kala Bhawan (Shantiniketan), Katayun Gallery (Kolkata), Modi Foundation
(New Delhi), Montage Art (New Delhi), National Gallery of Modern Art (Mumbai), Siddhartha
Art Gallery (Nepal) and the Parliamentarian Forum for Human Development (New Delhi).