State of Art

As we step inside,majestic statues and stone carvings welcome us. “These are all made from sandstone and it takes the sculptor several months to carve them into perfection,” says exhibition manager SK Nanda. Priced Rs 3,000 upwards,depending on the size,the statues and carvings embody the glorious culture of the state; some of them are smaller replicas of those found in the temples of Konark and Jagannath in Orissa.

One look at the saris and Sati Anusuiya sari wins handsdown. Hung like a painting on a wall,this blue and maroon patterned sari with a temple border,is priced at Rs 12,000 and took the weaver an entire month to put together. Most of the Ikat saris on display at the exhibition are from Sambalpur in Orissa,and the dominant motifs include animals,birds,and traditional designs of fish and conch shells. Interestingly,this style of weaving is found in several cultures globally,including in Central and South America,Spain,and South East Asia.

Traditional applique work,called Pilpli,also makes its presence felt at the exhibition. Colourful garden umbrellas,wall hangings,lamp shades,letter holders priced from Rs 300 onwards are also available. Then there are Patachitra artworks — intricately drawn paintings describing the folk art of Orrisa that have been drawn in shades of red,ochre,indigo,green,black and white,all extracted from natural sources. They portray mythological themes from Ramayana and Mahabharata on palm leaves. For as little as Rs 30,one can take home an artwork on something as small as a bookmark. One can also choose from the Worli art on silk panels,priced at a mere Rs 150.

An exhibition from Orissa would be incomplete without silver filigree jewellery. At ‘Utkalika’,you can choose from traditional flower-shaped earrings and neck pieces. Given their funky designs,it’s hard to believe that this style is so old,but it seems fashion in Orissa was way ahead of its time.

The exhibition is on Lajpat Rai Bhawan,Sector 15 till February 9