After the US First lady Michelle Obama chose Odisha-born Indian American Bibhu Mohapatra to design her outfits during her last visit to India with her husband President Barack Obama in January, this time Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has picked up another Odisha artist’s creation to gift it to French President Francois Hollande.
Bhaskar Mahapatra, who hails from the heritage crafts village of Raghurajpur in Puri district, has prepared a painting on silk titled ‘Tree of life’ which reflects the traditional societal respect for the nature in India. Modi gifted Mohapatra’s meticulously crafted art to Francois Hollande. The lalit Kala Akademi winner artist, Mohapatra, has won many accolades for his expertise in palm leaf painting, known as Pattachitra.
Ahead of the global meet on climate change to be hosted by France in December this year, the message behind the painting clearly sends out a message on sustenance of life and clean environment. “The tree, as a divine gift central to human life, is a recurring element in Indian artistic practice. The Tree of life, with multiple roots and branches like a banyan tree, is a motif for a tree’s benevolence, fruit, seeds, shelter, healing, procreation and regeneration faculties that sustain life and clean the environment,” a PMO statement said.