Nagpur: Two NGOs Genesys Foundation and Lalitya Foundation along with Vidarbha Cartoonist Association is offering a unique Cartoon exhibition to Nagpur citizens between 26th to 30th January.
What is significant is that it has the blessings of the world famous R.K. Laxman foundation known as R.K. Intellectual Property Rights Management pvt ltd and will be represented by Usha Laxman daughter in law of the late creator of ‘Common Man’!
Since 26th January happens to be death anniversary of R.K. and 30th January ‘Hutatma din’ – the day Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated, the exhibition is going to be devoted to the memory of the two great souls.
Speaking exclusively to NT, Radhika Buty, Founder President of Genesys Foundation, Prasad Pimplikar, Founder President of Lalitya Foundation and Sanjay More, President of the Vidarbha Cartoonist Association said that as soon as they posted news of the proposed cartoon contest cum exhibition within days they were flooded with inquiries and interest from many international artists too.
This forced them to make it an ‘international exhibition’ though earlier they had planned it only on a All India basis.
Till date they have received entries from over 72 countries like Italy, Iran, Colombia, Brazil, Indonesia, China, Egypt, Russia, Syria and Bosnia.
“The response we have received is amazing! It has made the scope of the exhibition world wide – we are really proud of the treat we shall be presenting to discerning connoisseurs of the city” commented Prasad.
Radhika described what a feat it was getting official collaboration from the heirs of the great cartoonist R.K. Laxman himself.
Thus the contest has been titled ‘Uncommon atma … to… the Mahatma’ with the invitation card depicting R.K. sketching a portrait of Gandhi to a cartoon of Gandhiji himself! As the organizers have put it “together we decided to pay our reverence to the two people who have etched their names on the canvas of the world in their own ways and with their own peculiar styles – one through his pen and the other through his Dandi.”
The venue of the exhibition will be the Genesys School of Pottery at 306 Buty Bunglow opposite IDBI Bank in civil lines Nagpur.
The inaugural program, at which Usha Laxman will make a presentation on the life of R.K. Laxman will begin at 3.55 p.m. on 26th. Famous cartoonist Vikas Sabnis will deliver a talk on “meaning musical caricatures”. The names of the winners of the contest will be announced that day only.
The cartoons exhibition will be thrown open to public from 27th Jan to 30th Jan between 11a.m. to 8 p.m.
Vicco Laboratories are the Title sponsors and Cartoon Watch, the only monthly cartoon magazine of India will be present along with Maharashtra Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, Tathastu resorts, Camlin paints and Punit Super Bazar. Buty Public School and the Musketeers are also involved in this unique endeavor. Nagpur Today is the Media Partner.
