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 The
Kasthuri Sreenivasan Trust’s Art Gallery is situated in its
Culture Centre on Avinashi Road – National Highway 47. The Gallery
is the expression of Padma Bhushan Kasturi Sreenivasan’s desire
to help the fine arts of painting and sculpture receive patronage
similar to music, dance and drama. A Statue of Sivakami Amman
greeted us even as we entered the Art Gallery.
The cool confines of the Art Gallery provided us a welcome respite
from the heat. After leaving our bags at the reception and signing
in, we went in to feast our eyes on the unbelievable collection
of paintings and sculptures on display. Ten rooms on the ground
floor and first floor have been dedicated to the Art Gallery.
Traditional Indian art features in the first two rooms. Some of
the Tanjore paintings on display are more than a 100 years old.
Also on display are Bronzes cast in the traditional South Indian
style. The highlights of exhibits in the first room are the terracotta
head of the Gupta period and the stone figure from the Gandhara
period. Bird paintings and reproductions of Moghul works are featured
in the second room.
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paintings by Barbara Sreenivasan are exhibited in the third
room. There are oils, water-colours, a collage and landscapes of
various parts of India. A unique feature here is a ‘portrait’ that
is made entirely from cotton, except for the glass and frame.
The works of modern artists are on display in the last two rooms
on the ground floor. Paintings by Santhanaraj, Alphonso, Antonydoss,
Senathipathi, Redappa Naidu and Thotta Tharani and a
bronze sculpture by Dhanabal.
A short walk up the stairs took us to the first floor where we
found art from across the world. Paintings from Egypt, China, Thailand,
Nigeria, Burma and Nepal. The Tibetan Icon and the jade sculpture
from China are the highlights of this section.
Two rooms have been dedicated completely to European art. Most
of the paintings are reproductions. Paintings of various European
schools from Leonardo da Vinci to Picasso and reproductions
by British artists in India from the 18th and 19th
centuries find place here. The last room is an exhibition for the
works of modern painters who can get in touch with the Trust to
have their works displayed.
Address: Kasthuri Sreenivasan Trust – Art Gallery, Avinashi
Road – National Highway 47, Coimbatore 641 014.
Phone: 574110.
Text: Jospeh Pradeep Raj R
Photographs: V Ganesan |
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