SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Art Festival organised by the Department of Arts and Culture lacked “visibility” and artists struggled for space inside a narrow rectangular tent.
The five-day festival concluded on Friday. It is an annual affair where local artists, both renowned and lesser-known, take part in workshops and exhibit their works.
Many artists whom The Shillong Times spoke to said anonymously the event “has no visibility” as it was pushed to a corner. “It was the same five years ago. It should show some improvement,” said a participant.
Painting was part of the various art forms — sculpture, photography, printing and papier-mâché artworks — which were promoted by the department. However, the event, which is crucial for local artists, was “haphazard”.
There were over 30 participants many of whom were huddling inside the tent as they worked on their canvases. There was little space for visitors to navigate through the canvases and watch the painters work.
Some participants complained that not everyone received painting materials and had to get their own.
“We wait for the event every year as this is the only place where we can display our works. There is no gallery in the city and hence, there is no way to promote our works,” an artist explained.
The dim light inside the makeshift gallery made the displays look dull and “the arrangement is also not proper”, said another artist.
When pointed out, a senior official of the department said there were many programmes at the same time “so we had to manage… with whatever space we have”.
He added that visitors and participants were asked to give their feedback and suggestions so that the event can be improved each year.
