The Centre of International Modern Art (CIMA) hosted its Lifetime Achievement Awards 2023 at the Taj Bengal Kolkata. The evening also kicked off the institution’s thirtieth-anniversary celebrations among luminaries from the world of art and Bengal. Abstract artist Late Sushen Ghosh, art historian and curator Alka Pande, and the doyen of craft revivalism Ruby Palchoudhuri were awarded the lifetime achievement awards.
The culturally and artistically enlightening evening kicked off with an opening act of contemporary dance by Sapphire Creations Dance Company led by ace choreographer Sudarshan Chakravorty. In her opening address chief administrator, CIMA, Pratiti Basu Sarkar comments, “CIMA was born in 1993, not the best time in Indian history but CIMA sees itself in future as continuing to pursue art and breaking the myth that art only belongs to a certain class and level of society. CIMA will continue to focus on the belief that art is democratic and open to all. So it will continue to find different formats and venues to make art accessible.”
Director, Rakhi Sarkar adds, “CIMA started formally in Sunny Towers, its present location in 1993. We have crossed 30 winters, some exciting, some sad. We are here to celebrate those thirty years. The idea of CIMA germinated after my first curatorial venture in 1986 in my capacity as the President of the Ladies Study Group. It took me seven years with the help of many international institutions and museums to acquaint myself with the rudiments of planning and running an art centre. All that finally culminated in CIMA in 1993.”
The program moved towards the essence of the evening. The first award was given posthumously to the master of abstraction and sculptor Sushen Ghosh. His works were influenced by Indian and European masters of art and looked towards finding movement within stillness through the artistic explorations of geometrical patterns and mathematics. It was accepted by his daughter Mohua Ghosh who said, “I do not know how to thank CIMA for his recognition. My father has probably become abstract like his works. But if we become younger in thought, we might understand his art process better.”
Art historian, curator, consultant, and author Alka Pande was the second recipient for the evening. She has had almost three decades of experience in museum development, and curation and has served as director for several museums. As part of her acceptance speech, she mentions, “Needless to say I’m overwhelmed. I want to thank my mother who inculcated my love for music, my father, who taught me discipline, my husband who is my pillar of strength, and my artist daughter. Thank you (To CIMA) for acknowledging us because it is something which motivates us to do better.”
The doyen of craft revivalism Ruby Palchoudhuri was also awarded the evening with a standing ovation from the audience. Her contribution to the revival of crafts in Bengal and promoting women’s liberation through the training centre has for decades inspired many to work with the artisans and promote Bengal art and craft. She comments, “Artists, art lovers, art reviewers, I don’t know whether I belong here or not. But during my journey, I have with my passion dealt with many makers and I am grateful to them for having shared their lives and their works with me.”
To celebrate its 30th anniversary CIMA is hosting three extravagant exhibitions throughout the first half of 2024. Fantasy to Subliminal consisting of works of Arpita Singh, Ganesh Pyne, Shreyasi Chatterjee, and Sushen Ghosh is on till January 20, 2024; Neorealism to Social Realism with artworks by Bikash Bhattacharjee, Jaya Ganguly, Jogen Chowdhury, and Meera Mukherjee will be on from January 27 to March 1; and Towards the Personal with artworks by Lalu Prasad Shaw, Sanat Kar, Sarbari Roy Chowdhury, and Somnath Hore will be exhibited between March 15 to April 13.
Photos: Pritam Sarkar