Art studio gathers cobwebs

Lalitkala Academy has not awarded scholarship in printmaking for the last 4 yrs

Printmaking is a fine art, in which artworks are made through printing. It includes taking out multiple prints of an artwork originally done on metallic plates.  This stream of art includes engraving, etching, lithography and wood cuts. Artists commonly use plates of zinc, copper and zinc for engraving or etching, stone for lithography and blocks for wood cuts.

Karnataka Lalitkala Academy set up the studio over 25 years ago to help those interested in the art of printmaking. Many well-known artists worked in the studio in their formative period. The artists can make use of the studio paying a nominal fee of Rs 100 per month.

For the last 10 years, the Academy has not appointed anybody as in-charge officer to supervise the studio.

Has come to standstill

And, maintenance of the machine and equipment in the studio had come to standstill. Power supply to the studio has been stopped for almost a year. Artists need power supply to heat the plates before taking prints. Supply of materials such as nitric acid, zinc plates has also stopped.

In the past the Academy was offering scholarships to fresh graduates from art schools to work on printmaking. Such students used to keep the studio engaged. But the Academy had not awarded scholarship for the last four years. As a result the art community with interest in this form of art has no proper studio to work. On the other hand setting up a private studio requires huge investment.

Babu Eshwar Prasad, artist who secured his MA in printmaking said, “Many artists in Bangalore go to Baroda to work on printmaking. Baroda has studios, well maintained by the government.

However all artists can’t afford to travel to Baroda all the time.” He says lack of studio facility in Bangalore is one among the reasons for artists losing interest in the art form and shift to other forms.

Academy Chairman J S Khanderao said the Academy had decided to rejuvenate the studio from the next academic year.  The Academy in its last meeting, resolved to approach the Government for funds to award scholarships for students and improve equipment in the
studio.