Back To The Past

The aim of Indian art has always been to take one beyond the material. That purpose is lost with art increasingly getting entwined with commerce,” says Benoy K Behl,52,an art historian,filmmaker and photographer based in Delhi. Beginning today,he will hold a festival of films called “The Journey Within”,a set of 12 films about the sculpture and paintings of India. The films,shot extensively in India and museums of Europe and the US,were originally made for Doordarshan.

The Sculpture of India section spans 5,000 years,from the Indus Valley civilisation to the 17th century while the Paintings of India segement showcases 2,500 miniatures. “These films explore the traditions of patronage which prevailed and developed over the centuries in the Indian subcontinent. Many monuments which are not often visited,such as the Pilak stupa in Tripura and the Charang monastery in an upper part of Kinnaur can be seen in the films,” he says.

The films are of 25 minutes each and will be screened from August 29-30 at the India International Centre. Time: 2 pm-7 pm.

Contact: 24619431 (EFS)