The News National :
Kolkata Centre for Creativity (KCC) supported by Emami CSR organised the 5th edition of its annual interdisciplinary arts festival – AMI Arts Festival 2024. This year we have organized an exhibition-cum-seminar on rural heritage from 22nd to 29th November 2024 at the Temporary Exhibition Space on the 1st floor of the Indian Museum between 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, engaging various rural and urban museums of West Bengal.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Mr Arijit Dutta Choudhury, Director of Indian Museum, DG, NCSM, Prof Sachindranath Bhattacharya, President of Paschim Banga Sangrahalaya Samity, Mr Hugh Boylan, Australian Consulate General Kolkata, Prof Ranjana Roy, Head, Dept of anthropology university of Calcutta, Ms Pritikana Goswami, Padmashree Awardee Kantha Artist, Dr Sayan Bhattacharya, Deputy Director, Indian Museum, Prof. Sushanta Kumar Chakraborty, Vice Chancellor, Vidyasagar University & Ms. Richa Agarwal, Chairperson, Kolkata Centre for Creativity.
In response to the growing global interest in rural heritage and recognizing India’s vast and living trove of rural traditions, this event seeks to explore rural heritage as a dynamic and collaborative strategy for its preservation. From Fields to Folk will highlight the potential of linking the preservation of rural heritage with sustainable economic development, with a particular focus on supporting rural museums, urban museums with rural collections, and individuals possessing rural heritage objects in the curation, conservation, sustainability, and management of their cultural assets.
There will be Art and Craft Exhibits displaying traditional crafts, tools, and artifacts sourced from rural and urban museums, as well as private collections across various regions of West Bengal; a Photographic Exploration showcasing the essence of India’s rural heritage, captured by heritage photographers through the diverse landscapes and lifestyles of West Bengal villages; and Panel Discussions on a range of topics featuring insights from museologists, academics, artisans, and community leaders.
The event is a unique initiative that seeks to bridge the gap between urban and rural India by showcasing the richness of rural traditions in the heart of the metropolis. Key displays include 15 archival records related to archaeological heritage of rural Bengal by Directorate of State Archives, Dept. of Higher Education, Government of West Bengal; protohistoric artefacts dating to about the late second/early first millennium BCE from excavations at Asurdanga (Birbhum) by Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta; and Sholapith artefacts and utensils made from sugarcane leftovers and Areca leaves by Industrial Section Indian Museum, Botanical Survey of India (BSI).
The 20 attending museums and archives include: (1) Cooch Behar Archive; (2) PC Mahalanobis Memorial Museum & Archives, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata; (3) Tarar Chhayay: Museum of Memories; (4) Kundarali Purakirti Sangrahashala (Ujjal Sardar’s private collection); (5) Noukoghar by Swarup Bhattacharyya; (6) Museum and Art Gallery, The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture Golpark; (7) Krishnapur Centre for Folklore Studies and Research; (8) Society for Heritage Archaeology and Management; (9) State Archives Department of Higher Education Government of West Bengal; (10) Chalchitra Academy (Khwaabgaon); (11) Paschimbanga Sangrahalaya Samity; (12) State Bank of India’s Museum and Archive; (13) Sundarban Anchalik Sangrahashala; (14) Botanical Survey of India; (15) Birla Industrial Technological Museum; (16) Debolgarh Museum, Debgram Debalraja Puratatwa O Loksanskriti Sangha, Nadia; (17) Department of Archaeology, University of Calcutta; (18) Department of Anthropology,Vidyasagar University; (19) Museum Department of Geography, University of Calcutta; and (20) Kantha Collection by Padmashree Awardee Preetikana Goswami.
Ms. Richa Agarwal, Chairperson of KCC, expressed her enthusiasm for the festival, stating, “KCC has always stood for celebrating the symbiotic relationship between popular and intellectual pursuits. This unique exhibition and seminar at the Indian Museum, while being socially responsible and rooted in empathy and inclusivity, will ignite a dialogue among artisans, academics, and experts. On the occasion of World Heritage Week (19 – 25 November), we are looking at the most exciting cross-pollination of ideas and creativity as we raise awareness about the India’s rural heritage – both tangible and intangible.”
