Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi inaugurated the 1st Indian Art, Architecture, and Design Biennale 2023 (IAADB’23), which is being organized by the Ministry of Culture from 9th to 15th December 2023 at Red Fort in New Delhi, Delhi.
- The event brings together artists, designers, and architects from India to showcase innovations in art, design, and architecture.
- During the program, the PM inaugurated the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Centre for Design’ and the student Biennale- Samunnati. He also launched a Commemorative Stamp.
Note: IAADB will serve as an introduction to the Cultural Space in Delhi.
Key People:
Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, Ministers of State (MoS) Arjun Ram Meghwal, and Meenakshi Lekhi, Ministry of Culture; and Ms. Diana Kellogg, Principal Architect at Diana Kellogg Architects, the United States of America (USA) were present at the occasion among others.
Organisers:
The event is organised by the National Gallery of Modern Art, along with the National Council of Science Museums, the Archaeological Survey of India, the Lalit Kala Akademi, the Council of Architecture, and the Outreach Department of the Ministry of Education.
Background:
i.IAADB was the Government of India’s vision to develop and institutionalise a flagship Global Cultural Initiative in India like the International Biennales at Venice(Italy), São Paulo(Brazil), and Singapore, among others.
ii.In line with this vision:
- A nationwide campaign has been launched to reinvent, rebrand, renovate, and re-house museums.
- 5 major cities, including Kolkata(West Bengal), Delhi, Mumbai(Maharashtra), Ahmedabad(Gujarat), and Varanasi(Uttar Pradesh), are set to witness the development of cultural spaces.
About the Biennale:
i.It is an innovative initiative to celebrate India’s rich artistic heritage, spanning ancient, modern, contemporary, and tech-driven art, architecture, and design.
ii.The Biennale features keynote addresses each day by international artists, architects, designers, photographers, collectors, art professionals, and the public to strengthen the cultural dialogue.
iii.It also follows key initiatives like the International Museum Expo (May 2023) and the Festival of Libraries (August 2023), to institutionalise global cultural initiatives in India with modernised systems.
- It will provide avenues and opportunities to expand and collaborate with the creators of art, architecture, and design as part of the evolving economy.
7 Publications based on 7 themes:
i.This week-long event will revolve around 7 themes, with each day dedicated to a specific theme with a corresponding coffee table publication namely:
- Pravesh (Doors of India);
- Bagh-e-Bahar (Gardens of India);
- Sampravah (Baolis or the step-wells of India);
- Sthaypatya (Temples of India);
- Vismaya (Architectural Icons of Independent India);
- Deshaj (Indigenous Design); and
- Samatva (Women in Architecture and Design).
ii.IAADB will include pavilions based on the above themes, panel discussions, art workshops, an art bazaar, heritage walks, and a parallel student biennale.
- The pavilions, part of the Biennale, will be on display for the public until 31 March 2024.
Note: The PM urges focus on themes like ‘Deshaj Bharat Design: Indigenous Designs’ and ‘Samatva: Shaping the Built’ as a mission.
A Student Biennale – Samunnati:
i.It has been organised from 9 to 15 December 2023 at the Lalit Kala Akademi in Delhi.
ii.It will provide an opportunity for students to showcase their work, interact with peers & professionals, and gain valuable exposure within the architecture community through design competitions, display of heritage, installation designs, workshops, etc.
Aatmanirbhar Bharat Centre for Design:
i.This centerwill showcase the unique and indigenous crafts of India and provide a collaborative space between the artisans and the designers.
ii.Artisans will also gain knowledge about design development as well as become proficient in digital marketing.
iii.Artisans and designers are encouraged to innovate in line with market trends by aligning traditional crafts with modern market needs.
Recent related News:
The Ministry of Culture organised a curtain-raiser event for the inaugural Indian Art, Architecture, and Design Biennale 2023 (IAADB’23) at the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, Delhi.
About Ministry of Culture:
Union Minister– G. Kishan Reddy (Constituency- Secunderabad, Telangana)
Ministers of State– Meenakashi Lekhi (Constituency- New Delhi, NCT of Delhi); Arjun Ram Meghwal (Constituency- Bikaner, Rajasthan)
