Lalit Kala Akademi conducts women empowerment camp in Vizag

A five-day-long camp was conducted by the Lalit Kala Akademi, or National Academy of Art, to promote the cause of women empowerment. The folk and traditional women painting camp consisted of 10 tribal women artisans, who came together in the Araku Valley, Vizag,

This camp titled, ‘The Missing Rainbow’, was conducted from 18 Jul 2019 to 22 Jul 2019. It was organised by the National Academy of Art in association with the Integrated Tribal Development Agency, Government of Andhra Pradesh in the Tribal Museum of Araku Valley in Vizag district.

As per a press release, the women empowerment camp was inaugurated by IAS officer, D.K. Balaji in the presence of Rama Krishna Vedala, Secretary of Lalit Kala Akademi on 18 Jul 2019.

Artisans and Activities:

The women participants included Vanaja N and J. Gowthami from Andhra Pradesh, Nalmarani and Anandi from Tamil Nadu, Ambilivijayan Thapasya and M. Pushpalatha from Kerala, Saraswathi Ishwar Naik from Karnataka, Chitragandha Sagar Sutar from Maharashtra, Sumanti Devi Bhagat from Chhattisgarh and Parvathi Devi from Jharkhand.

The participants took part in puppetry, embroidery, leather kalamkari and traditional & folk paintings. Gita Hudson, an artist and documentary maker who specializes in subjects of various modern, contemporary, tribal, folk and traditional art practices, was the coordinator of the camp and was also making a documentary of the 5 day-long camp.

Sovan Kumar, the Regional Secretary of Lalit Kala Akademi, Chennai, while sharing his thoughts on the women empowerment camp, said, “This women tribal, folk and traditional camp was an initiative by Dr. Uttam Pacharne, Chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi to give exposure to the women artisans of the Southern region to come out and display their rare art form and culture to the world.”