SAARC painting exhibition

The SAARC Painting Exhibition would be inaugurated in the presence of Minister of State for External Affairs of India Shri E. Ahamed, Minister of Culture Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena and Ministers from SAARC countries attending the 31st Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers in Colombo at the National Art Gallery, Colombo 7 on February 27 at 6 p.m..

The exhibition had travelled to Kabul in September 2007 and to Kathmandu in December 2008 before coming to Sri Lanka.

The exhibition would remain open for public viewing between 10.30 a.m. and 6.30 p.m. from February 28 to March 6 and on March 7 from 10.30 a.m. to 12 noon.

The exhibition consists of 24 paintings and one photograph featuring the works of reputed artists from SAARC countries.

The collection came into being when the Indian Council for Cultural Relations brought together 25 leading artists from the SAARC member countries for an artists' camp at Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, from January 14-23, 2007, as part of the cultural activities for the 14th SAARC Summit.

The works of 11 artists from India - Anupam Sud, Akhilesh, Anjana Mehra, Manish Pushkale, Gopi Gajwani, Jatin Das, Bandeep Singh, Manisha Gera Baswani, Shamshad, Yogendra Tripathi and S. Harshavardhana would be on display.

The exhibition also showcases the works of two artists from Afghanistan, two from Bangladesh, four from Pakistan, one each from Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives and three from Sri Lanka, namely Anoma Wijewardene, Anup Vega and Jagath Raveendra.

The exhibition would proceed to Kandy from Colombo where the collection would be on display from March 9-11 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the E.L. Senanayake Children's Library Hall. From Kandy, the exhibition would proceed to Dhaka, its next destination.