Kadri Rocks Art Gallery by Harsha D’souza- Where Art and Heritage Meet
Mangaluru: “Kadri Rocks”, a new art gallery located opposite to Vijaya Clinic on Kadri Kambla Road, Mangaluru, opened its doors to the art lovers of the city from Sunday, 17 February 2019, after being inaugurated by Chief Guest Adam Clapham, the British documentary producer and writer who has made Mangaluru his “Home Away From Home”, along with Purushotham Adve, renowned artist and curator who was the guest of honour. The day began with an Art Camp, which was being organized by Karavali Chitrakala Chavadi (R) and other Artists from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm. The works produced during the art camp were put on display during the exhibit.
58-year-old Insurance surveyor Harsha D’Souza has converted his parents ( Anthony Francis D’souza, a retired automobile engineer (Dad) and Late Lily D’souza (Mom) a house-wife) old residence to showcase his collection, which gives the feel of art with a touch of heritage. The first exhibition that catches the eye of the visitor is a canopy of Mangaluru tiles at the entrance that has old wooden carvings all round. It gained the name ‘Kadri Rocks’ in antiquity due to the presence of large rocks and boulders in the vicinity. The house, which presently stands on its own ground amidst spacious greens, has undergone extensive restoration activities to create its period ambience. The whole artistic collections and artifacts are displayed on a 60 cents property, and the Art Gallery is located very adjacent to Harsha’s house.
It has been liberally retrofitted with various antiquities and heritage items sourced from similar houses of its era. Hence the tagline: ‘Where Art and Heritage Meet’. Apart from the restoration of the old house the entire compound has been brought alive with abundant greenery, lush green lawns, sculptures and showpieces, monuments and artifacts. On entering the compound, one is greeted by a beautiful sculpture of the Buddha sitting in deep meditation below a mango tree.
A prime attraction of the campus is an ancient wooden door rescued and restored from a fallen heritage house. A fountain and a fish pond with a wooden over bridge is yet another feature that appeals to the imagination. Other exhibits on the lawns include imitation cannon, a tall sculpted granite lamp, an old well with a wooden pulley, a mermaid sculpture and a vertical granite monument-fountain. Indeed visiting this place is like entering a museum.
Kadri Rocks Art Gallery is born out of the passionate efforts of Harsha D’souza, who decided to open the private sanctum of his family’s abode for the noble cause of promoting art and culture in the city. He had been building up the place for the past five years. Speaking to Team Mangalorean Harsha D’souza said “This region is famous for its artistic and cultural heritage. People of our city are blessed with brilliant and creative minds. My objective in starting an art gallery is to nurture talent and provide an outlet for art to bloom. Art can flourish only when there’s an encouraging environment and also when there is a ready market for the output. If art becomes a sustainable profession then more talented people will get the confidence to pursue it on a full time basis.”
D’Souza said it took five years for him to renovate his old house using antiquities and heritage items sourced from houses in the district. He has also arranged pottery, earthenware, and several artisan products that he collected during his visits across the country, since he travels across India as part of his Insurance surveyor work. He has collected various antique items from Orissa, Kerala, Goa, Karnataka, West Bengal and quite a few other states. Amid these items, paintings of artists, such as Sapna Norohna and S.P. Hugar, have been arranged. “This environment serves well for us to come out with a good art form,” said artist Ganesh Somayaji, who was among the 30 artists from Karavali Chitakala Chavadi who took part in the art camp there. Among the artists who attended included Dinesh Holla, Ms. Noronha, John Chandran, Hugar and many others.
Kadri Rocks Art Gallery is a Unique gallery comprising of hundreds of artefacts from across India restored to their original glory, and artworks from local professional artists. Through this collection of this traditional, functional and fully-restored artifacts, one can experience and assimilate the authentic, dramatic and personal stories on Indian creative thinking and self-sufficiency tales while observing the art Gallery. The objects and artifacts in ‘Kadri Rocks’ represent a progressive history of success in the modern age. “Kadri Rocks” has a display of over 500 artifacts evidence of Indian lifestyle, traditions and culture. This Art Gallery is not just about beauty and aesthetics but it is all about the makers and the utility of the objects. All the objects belong to India’s own tradition, culture and its people.
Kadri Rocks will be open to visitors on all week days from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The gallery displays painting and other works by professional and amateur artists and sculptors. It will also have display and sale of pottery and earthenware, handicrafts and artisan products. The premises will be available in the future for hosting art camps and art exhibitions, cultural and literary activities like book release functions, writers workshops etc. This Art Gallery is created out of love for the great Indian culture and without any kind of external influences. ‘Kadri Rocks’ Art Gallery symbolizes much more than just Artifacts and Artworks, it celebrates the indigenous wisdom of our ancestors, their invention and their intricacies for details and a love for beauty and art.
KADRI ROCKS -a Art Gallery ( Harsha D’souza, Patron) Mob: 9880137989, 0824-4279749
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