Bhubaneswar: The third Chandrasekhar Rao Memorial lecture was held at Gitagovinda Sadan in Bhubaneswar as a tribute to the artist on the occasion of his 84th birth anniversary.
Delivering the lecture on ‘The Emergence of an Art Tradition from history,’ eminent writer, translator and expert on Odia culture, Asit Mohanty narrated several instances of his close association with Chandrasekhar Rao. He highlighted the interface between Odisha’s literary and art world.
Mohanty had played an instrumental role in the life of the artist from his initial Prajatantra days to the editing of Chandraayana, the autobiography by Chandrasekhar. In this journey, Asit Mohanty unveiled the literary persona of the visual artist and brought his love for literature to the public domain.
Chandraayan presented a cultural curve to the artistic practice that emerges from the layers of vernacular cultural identity and sense of history to visually address the contemporary and popular.
In his presidential address, noted academician Prof Pradosh Mishra explained the need for intellectual discourse to rediscover and engage with the rich cultural heritage of Odisha. He also emphasised on the regional artists and vernacular art history of Odisha.
The memorial lecture was organised with the support of Utsha Foundation for Contemporary Art, Bhubaneswar. Researcher and writer Sumitra Padhi proposed the vote of thanks and coordinated the program.
