The Uttara Contemporary Art Gallery which was inaugurated by the Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat in the month July last year still lacks basic facilities for functioning properly.
The lone art gallery opened by the government in the state which was started with the purpose to promote local artists of Uttarakhand not only lacks space but is functioning without a curator nearly a year after it was opened.
According to the art gallery staff it has been more than six months since the last exhibition was held here.
The art gallery lacks space and can be used to exhibit about a dozen paintings at a time. The condition of the building is also not very good and the facility also lacks a curator.
“A curator is the right person who has knowledge of the art and paintings. He or she not only oversees those taking care of the facility but also guides and explains the paintings to the visitors.
However, this art gallery lacks a curator,” said a staff member of the art gallery.
As per the record of the gallery very few people have visited the facility. “One of the main reasons for this is limited awareness among the people about the gallery.
Also, it has been long since we held any painting exhibition in the gallery,” the staff member of the gallery added.
Talking to The Pioneer, director of the culture department Bina Bhatt said, “There is no position of a curator in the facility.
However we thought of appointing one such expert. We opened the vacancy for the position of curator in the month of November last year and also received documents of interested candidates. We were unable to select one curator because of the model code of conduct.
But now that the model code of conduct has ended, we will be selecting the appropriate candidate soon for the position of curator at the art gallery.”