The artiste in Banamali Sharma
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 13 2017:
At a time when artistes are craving and striving to fetch as much money as their counterparts in other professions earn, his only love for the profession sustained Bramacharimayum Banamali Sharma to stand apart from the maddening crowd of artistes .
Unlike many other artistes, ace sculptor Bramacha-rimayum Banamali Sharma pays little importance to the question of artistes' survival in terms of financial returns.
Instead, his enthusiasm and of course his penchant for the profession makes him an outstanding artiste .
To him, sustenance as an artist would no longer be a problem once an artiste has reached a level of prominence and carved a name .
Many of his art works have been recognized and collected by many organisations and private artwork collectors, including from London, Switzerland, Canada besides from other States of the country .
He is also the recipient of many National and State awards including All India Award by Rajasthan Lalit Kala Akademi, Jaipur; All India Award by AIFACS, New Delhi; Manipur State Award by Manipur State Kala Akademi, Imphal .
"Once an artist reaches a certain stage where people recognize your art works, you can independently work with sustainable income although it does not give a luxurious life.
Besides, you get the real taste of artistic creativity working as an individual artist.
Hence, I declined offers to be engaged as faculty from few reputed art colleges in other States," Banamali said .
Born to (L) B Amusana Sharma and (L) B Angoubi Devi at Khongman Zone-3 in Imphal East, Banamali learnt his art works from his father.
He is married to Dr B Ruma Sharma who is also an artist and a professor at Assam University in the Department of Fine Arts .
Banamali is successful in establishing a standard studio/art gallery named Sharma Arts and Crafts House (SACH) at his residence and he serves as its Managing Director .
His studio is appended recognition by Lalit Kala Academy, Kolkata.
A 12-day long "National Metal Casting Camp" is underway at his studio since Oct 6 last wherein 10 National and International level artists from Karanataka, West Bengal, Assam and Manipur are taking part .
The objective of the camp is to create new metal casting art works by sharing knowledge among the participant artists as well as to preserve their creative art works .
Some of the art pieces will be preserved at Lalit Kala Academy, Kolkata and preserved as National property while some will be handed over to SACH to preserve as their property .
Speaking to media persons, Mrinal Kanti Gayen Mrinal Kanti Gayen, an international sculpture who is representing Kolkata categorically claimed his art works are 'indigenous' .
"Manipur has a very rich culture and tradition.
There are various unique things here.
Women are running shops and vendors in markets besides the people here being very indigenous, such as food habits.
All these are the necessities of arts, as they will be portrayed once artists feel touched.
Moreover, I have also visited some places here and explored more about the indigenous art works and the techniques used here," he said .
Asserting that the Western art forms were profusely taught and being taught in established art colleges and institutes thereby ignoring the indigenous ones, Mrinal stressed the importance of indigenous art forms and subjects in artistry and added that such things will have more impact when Tourism sector is enriched.
He further opined that Government should encourage tourism as well as art and culture in India, particularly Manipur and Kolkata so that artists would find an easy way for sustenance when foreigners explore the different artistic creations here and find interest in them .
Dr Ruma Sharma who represents Assam in the camp added that students learning in different art colleges have the intention to portray only the realism form of arts as they have been taught more about the Western concept of arts.
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