<p>Singh, who inaugurated a specially curated exhibition 'The Master's Strokes: Art of Rabindranath Tagore' at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) here, said India would organise a grand exhibition of his paintings in Paris next year to commemorate his birth anniversary.<br /> <br /> "I am deeply honoured to inaugurate this exhibition of one of the world's foremost cultural personalities...The Visva-Bharati, the Ministry of Culture and the NGMA are working together on a grand exhibition of Tagore's paintings in Paris next year.<br /> <br /> "This will mark his 150th birth anniversary in the very city where he displayed his art for the first time in 1930, before a discerning and appreciative audience," Singh said.<br /> <br /> The prime minister noted that the government had already set up a national committee with several senior Ministers, state Chief Ministers and many eminent scholars, experts and others, "to suggest, formulate and plan a number of events that would rekindle public interest in Gurudev's rich cultural legacy and in his thoughts, ideals, teachings and values."<br /> <br /> It also constituted an Implementation Committee headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to work out operational details of the proposed celebrations and to ensure that the commemoration was really a befitting one, he said.<br /> <br /> Noting that Tagore's genius as a poet, dramatist, philosopher, educationist and composer won him universal acclaim, the Prime Minister said his genius as a painter was, however, less well known, perhaps because he began painting when he was well into his 60s. <br /> <br /> Singh said he was happy the NGMA was commencing the national celebrations by showcasing some of the "precious contributions of the versatile genius of Indian art".<br /> Noting that Tagore hardly had any formal training in art, he said, "yet, through his own efforts, he developed a highly imaginative and spontaneous visual vocabulary.<br /> "His work displayed a superb sense of rhythm and vitality and his techniques matched his highly developed and refined creative expression," he added.<br /> <br /> For Tagore, Singh said, art was the bridge that connected the individual with the world.<br /> "What began as a poet subconsciously joining his erasures, over-writings, corrections and doodles, gradually materialised into a unique form of art. Rabindranath came to enjoy his efforts and found painting to be another expressive medium of his restless, creative mind," he added.<br /> <br /> The Prime Minister noted that Tagore made 3,000 paintings and drawings in the last 17 years of his life, adding that the largest part of the treasure was in Visva-Bharati, which would come out with a publication of a prestigious set of Tagore's paintings and drawings called the 'Chitraa-vali' with assistance and support from the Culture Ministry.</p>
<p>Singh, who inaugurated a specially curated exhibition 'The Master's Strokes: Art of Rabindranath Tagore' at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) here, said India would organise a grand exhibition of his paintings in Paris next year to commemorate his birth anniversary.<br /> <br /> "I am deeply honoured to inaugurate this exhibition of one of the world's foremost cultural personalities...The Visva-Bharati, the Ministry of Culture and the NGMA are working together on a grand exhibition of Tagore's paintings in Paris next year.<br /> <br /> "This will mark his 150th birth anniversary in the very city where he displayed his art for the first time in 1930, before a discerning and appreciative audience," Singh said.<br /> <br /> The prime minister noted that the government had already set up a national committee with several senior Ministers, state Chief Ministers and many eminent scholars, experts and others, "to suggest, formulate and plan a number of events that would rekindle public interest in Gurudev's rich cultural legacy and in his thoughts, ideals, teachings and values."<br /> <br /> It also constituted an Implementation Committee headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to work out operational details of the proposed celebrations and to ensure that the commemoration was really a befitting one, he said.<br /> <br /> Noting that Tagore's genius as a poet, dramatist, philosopher, educationist and composer won him universal acclaim, the Prime Minister said his genius as a painter was, however, less well known, perhaps because he began painting when he was well into his 60s. <br /> <br /> Singh said he was happy the NGMA was commencing the national celebrations by showcasing some of the "precious contributions of the versatile genius of Indian art".<br /> Noting that Tagore hardly had any formal training in art, he said, "yet, through his own efforts, he developed a highly imaginative and spontaneous visual vocabulary.<br /> "His work displayed a superb sense of rhythm and vitality and his techniques matched his highly developed and refined creative expression," he added.<br /> <br /> For Tagore, Singh said, art was the bridge that connected the individual with the world.<br /> "What began as a poet subconsciously joining his erasures, over-writings, corrections and doodles, gradually materialised into a unique form of art. Rabindranath came to enjoy his efforts and found painting to be another expressive medium of his restless, creative mind," he added.<br /> <br /> The Prime Minister noted that Tagore made 3,000 paintings and drawings in the last 17 years of his life, adding that the largest part of the treasure was in Visva-Bharati, which would come out with a publication of a prestigious set of Tagore's paintings and drawings called the 'Chitraa-vali' with assistance and support from the Culture Ministry.</p>
