Bhubaneswar, April 18: The Lalit Kala Akademi Regional Centre, Bhubaneswar, proudly inaugurated the much-anticipated Parikrama Exhibition on April 16, 2025, at 6 PM. This vibrant showcase features the culminating works of the LKA Research Scholars of 2022–23, and will remain open for public viewing until April 25, 2025, daily from 11:30 AM to 7:30 PM.
The exhibition presents an eclectic mix of paintings, sculptures, ceramics, graphics, and photography, reflecting the diverse artistic disciplines pursued by the scholars. The opening ceremony was graced by the esteemed Padma Shri Sri Binod Maharana and Sri Ramahari Jena, adding a distinguished aura to the event.
Ramakrishna Vedala, Regional Secretary of Lalit Kala Akademi, expressed pride in hosting the exhibition, highlighting the Centre’s commitment to nurturing emerging talent and promoting artistic discourse.
A total of eight Research Scholars have contributed to this exhibition:
Adarsh Palandi and Saroj Kumar Badatya (Graphic discipline)
Ms. Itisha Jain and Akshay Kumar Sethi (Painting discipline)
Deepak Kumar Behera and Subham Sahu (Sculpture discipline)
Rasmirekha Barik (Ceramic discipline)
Alka Priyasarshinee (Photography discipline)
Each artwork on display is rooted in personal experience, cultural memory, and regional identity.
Subham Sahu, a sculptor, draws inspiration from the folk and musical traditions of Western Odisha. His sculptures, crafted using terracotta and found objects, reinterpret cattle and cow bells—a nod to the tradition of preserving these items after the death of cattle. "I collect raw bells from across Odisha and try to breathe new life into forgotten or ruined elements through my work," he explains.
Itisha Jain from Raipur, Chhattisgarh, shares how her visits to Odisha’s temples deeply moved her. “The intricate temple art inspired me, and I also experimented with Pattachitra, a traditional Odisha painting style,” she says.
From Balasore, Deepak Kumar Behera brings a deeply personal narrative. Coming from a family of traditional weavers, he transforms his weaving heritage into contemporary sculpture. Reflecting on his recovery from a serious spinal injury three years ago, he says, “My sculptures depict the postures I endured during pain—how I sat, how I lay down. This is my way of expressing resilience through art.”
Rasmi Rekha Barik, hailing from Kulasekharapatana, Dandamukundapur in Odisha’s Puri district, channels a deeply personal experience into her artwork—an emotional response to the devastating Cyclone Fani. While pursuing her studies in Hyderabad during the disaster, a fleeting phone call with her mother left a lasting impact. “She said, all the houses are collapsed... and then the line went dead,” Rasmirekha recalls.
Overwhelmed by fear, helplessness, and a torrent of unanswered questions, she translated those emotions onto fabric—a canvas of thoughts, stitched in haste and heartbreak. The unfinished threads, intentionally left incomplete, represent the uncertainty and chaos of that moment—fragmented realities caught between imagination and truth. “They may or may not be real,” she says softly, “but they lived in my mind, and that’s what I’ve captured.”
The Parikrama Exhibition is not just a display of final projects—it's a celebration of identity, memory, and resilience, expressed through the unique artistic voices of emerging creators. Visitors are invited to witness this intimate and powerful journey of eight talented artists until April 25th.
