Barinder Saluja, Chandigarh,Oct. 15: Govt. College of Art, Chandigarh is celebrating its Diamond Jubilee after completing 60 years of glorious achievement. As part of these celebrations, Shri Ram Niwas, Home Secretary, Chandigarh Administration inaugurated Dhanraj Bhagat Sculpture park in the College campus today .Speaking on the occasion Shri Ram Niwas said that Govt. College of Art is one of the premier art institution of the world and its contribution to the society are manifold. Be it Chandigarh Carnival or any other such festival the creative might of the students and faculty of this college always add new dimension to it. He was delighted to appreciate the ambience of the Sculpture Park which will also be a open air class room for the budding artists of this institution.
After inaugurating this sculpture park, the Home Secretary visited the Exhibition ‘Life & Earth’ created by the students of Master of Fine Arts (Applied Art). He appreciated the efforts of the students in highlighting the concern of man towards our earth. He was greatly impressed to see large size poster in which the statue of liberty was shown wearing a mask. He asked the Principal to send a copy of this poster to the President of America with an urge to act now.
This park has been named Dhanraj Bhagat Sculpture Park as Padmashri Dhanraj Bhagat has been the alumni of this college when it was known as Mayo School of Art in Lahore. Shri Dhanraj Bhagat has inspired creativity among younger generation through his inner logic that transcend physical hardship of the material and the manipulating resources. He impressed the masses in India and abroad not only by his works but also by his work culture. “Creativity leads us from mundane to divine”. He truly proved this saying. He worked almost in all mediums. He worked in papier-mâché, aluminium, copper, wood and stone. He was a compassionate artist and always worked to seek the spirit in material. Even in abstract art, he never forgot to retain human element. He was one of the great masters who got birth on this earth to carry forward the torch that enlighten the human spirit with creativity. The Sculpture Park in his name will inspire and inculcate the values which our younger generation need to develop.
On this occasion five eminent teachers of sculpture associated with its Alma mater will be the Guest of Honour. They are Shri B.M. Chugh, Shri Shiv Singh, Shri Charanjeet Singh Matharu, Shri Jagdish Lal Ahuja and Shri Des Raj Gupta. These five art educationists who have contributed a lot to the society were presented a shawl by the Principal. The Principal Shri D.S. Kapoor thanked the Chief Guest and the Guest of Honour and assured them that under the able support of Chandigarh Administration this college will touch new heights of glory and honour. The programme was coordinated by Shri Ravinder Kumar Sharma. The Sculpture Park got its final shape under the guidance of Shri K.S. Sahi, Shri Manmadha Rao and Shri Charanjit Singh.
The main aims and objectives of this park are to find oneness with nature. Famous poet and artist Rabindra Nath Tagore once said, “Creativity finds itself at its best form in the company of sound, sight and scent of this earth”. So this park will enable the students to enjoy the ambience of open sky where the murmuring sound of leaves of trees will harmonize with the sound of chisel and hammer. It will be an ideal open class room and an option to recover from the constraint of time and space.