Lalit Kala Akademi Announces 20 Awards at 65th Art Exhibition

The Lalit Kala Akademi, which functions as the National Academy of Art under the Ministry of Culture, has announced 20 Lalit Kala Akademi Awards at the 65th National Exhibition of Art (NEA). The annual show is among the country's best-known platforms for contemporary visual art.

How many entries came in

The Akademi received 6,175 artworks from 2,495 artists belonging to 27 States and Union Territories. Selection ran in two stages. A first-tier jury shortlisted 270 artworks for display at the exhibition. A second-tier jury was then set up only to pick the prize-winning entries, and it chose 20 artworks by 20 artists for the awards.

What the selected works cover

The shortlisted works span painting, sculpture, printmaking, drawing and mixed media, with artists working in materials as varied as terracotta, ceramic, teak wood, white marble, oxidised copper, oil and acrylic on canvas, watercolour wash and etching. The Akademi says the range shows how contemporary Indian artists keep reaching for new materials, ideas and forms.

Some of the award-winning entries

Why the exhibition matters

Besides recognition, the Akademi presents the exhibition as a contribution to the creative economy. By bringing artists, audiences, collectors and institutions into one place, it widens visibility and opens professional openings for artists. Works on display are also sold, so artists earn directly from the show, which the Akademi treats as a way of making a career in visual art more sustainable. The Akademi adds that the exhibition supports both established and emerging artists and encourages experimentation, while the presence of artists from 27 States and Union Territories gives the show its national character. The awards were announced with thanks to the members of both juries for their work in sifting the entries.