GUWAHATI, Aug 18 - Artist Utpal Barua has made Assam proud by taking part in a unique exhibition of contemporary art in Italy where 110 artists from around the world have used several techniques and expressive codes, according to their personal tastes, to recount the history of the Mediterranean nation from 1906, the year of the first World Exposition in Milan to 2015, the Year of Expo 2015.
Organised by the Council of Zona 4, along with the Cultural Association E�-Vento, the exhibition that includes paintings, sculptures, installations and videos is being held at Palazzina Liberty, Milan, from August 8 to 29. Every year � from 1906 to 2015 � has been artistically represented by the 110 artists, Italians and foreigners, joining the event titled �Expo Milano from 1906 to 2015: 110 Artists Tell About Italy.�
It may be mentioned here that following the Industrial Revolution, world expositions were big events that focused on trade, besides being platforms of technological inventions and advancements of the time. Milan hosted the first Universal Exposition in 1906 on transport and work. After 110 years, the Italian city this year is hosting another world exposition billed Expo 2015 that opened on May 1 and will close on October 31.
Coinciding with the Expo 2015, the art exhibition is being hosted by Milan where each artist has come up with their works � each artist has been chosen for a particular year from 1906 to 2015 � containing references to historical facts, personalities and events related to Italian history. Great characters like Pertini, Falcone, Alda Merini, De Andr�, the Nobel; tragedies such as earthquakes, bombs and Milan Bologna, the Florence flood, the disaster of Vajont; wars, emigration, football et al, have been covered in the exhibition.
Utpal Barua was assigned the year 2007 when Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi was honoured by the Italian government for his initiative on children�s education. His 4 ft x 4 ft canvas in acrylic rightly depicts children�s education in a metaphoric way � �One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world,� the very thought of Kailash Satyarthi.
The work has been appreciated by art lovers and critics of Milan as well as other dignitaries from across the globe visiting the expo. �I am happy to be part of this historic event, being one of the 110 artists from around the world. I have tried to highlight the thought of the Nobel laureate with paint and brush,� said Barua, who is also an associate professor in the Design department of the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati.
