Vafi Qatar holds arts event

Visual Arts Forum India - Qatar (Vafi) conducted an arts event recently at the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) as part of the 75th anniversary of India’s independence celebrations - Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. The event in association with Al Zaheem Art & Events, featured a painting exhibition, children's art competition awards, arts and crafts exhibit, and a music and visual art ensemble.Indian ambassador Dr Deepak Mittal was the chief guest. Indian embassy first secretary (consular and community affairs) Xavier Danraj and ICC president P N Baburajan were present.Vafi president Patric Rozario spoke on the value associated with the creations of the artist. He urged that emerging artists need to be supported, and the easiest way is to purchase and collect their art. "Each original work of art has a story and when you purchase an original painting or sculpture, you are continuing the story, the history, the journey of that work of art."Nine winners of the children's art competition were honoured on the occasion by Baburajan, Rozario and Gafoor of Al Zaheem Art & Events. Dr Mittal interacted with the winners. A total of 25 paintings by Vafi artists were displayed during the event. They covered a wide variety of subjects related to India.The highlight of the evening was a music and visual art ensemble. Vafi artist Santhu Govind did a live painting accompanied by musicians Aji Nedumpuraykkal (keyboard), Prathapan Meloden (flute), Sameesh Krishna (tabla), and Arvind Kumar (bass guitar).Rozario then performed digital fluid art on his iPad and it was screened live. For the first part he painted, responding to the musicians and for the next part, the latter responded in synchronicity to the fluid painting. Ambassador Mittal was also presented with a resin art by Mallika Jaiswal and a sketch portrait by Shilpi Madhur.