Kalaburagi: The Kalaburagi district Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KSP) has released ‘Drushyakala Siri’, a visual art compendium. This is said to be a rare initiative by the parishat, which often provides a platform for poets and writers but rarely documents painting artists to encourage their creative expression.Vijaykumar Patil Tegaltippi, the president and chief editor of the compendium, told TOI that visual art is very rich in the Kannada literary world and it imbibes lifestyles and values. “Visual art artists play a crucial role in conserving art, literature, music, and culture. Paintings help to blossom one’s personality. Brushes of artists freeze time forever. Hence, we decided to document the life of artists with their paintings in the form of a compendium so that the younger generation can be motivated,” he explained.Veteran writer Dharmanna H Dhanni said in his foreword that Kalaburagi is the land of sharanas, saints, and sufis, and their steps can be observed in the cultural arts. “This land has also given space to many national and international painters. Thanks to such ace artists, today the number of visual artists has multiplied in Kalyana Karnataka. This compendium contains the life and sketches of 22 artists, and it’s a good reference documentation,” he appreciated.Rehaman Patel, editor of the compendium, said that they are working to preserve and promote the district’s art, literature, culture, and heritage. “The parishat has been providing a platform to poets and artists from all sections of society and encouraging their creative expression. Kalaburagi is a blend of architecture and history since it thr time of Mauryas, Shatavahanas, Rashtrakutas, Chalukyas, Bahamanis, and Nizams. Rulers of this land were generous in documenting the artists who lived here in the past. Hence, we have documented 22 ace artists who are alive and serving in visual art,” he asserted.
