Bringing India and Kuwait closer through art

September 26, 2021

Joice Sibi captures India’s timeless heritage with her paintings

THE TIMES KUWAIT REPORT

Kuwait Arts Association, in association with the Embassy of India in Kuwait, is organizing a painting exhibition by Joice Sibi titled ‘Glimpses of Timeless India’ at Association’s premises from 20-30 September. On the sidelines of the art exhibition, the Indian Embassy is also organising an India-Kuwait Cultural Festival showcasing the strong cultural bonds between India and Kuwait.

Inauguration ceremony of the exhibition was held on 20 September, and was followed by a gala cultural show. The event witnessed tremendous participation from all sections of the society, including members of the diplomatic corps, and media fraternity, as well as from large numbers of Indian and Kuwaiti nationals.

Secretary General of Kuwait’s National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL), Kamel Abdul Jalil, who was the chief guest for the evening, inaugurated the exhibition along with the Indian Ambassador to Kuwait H.E. Sibi George.

Speaking on the occasion, the Indian ambassador highlighted the significance of the milestone year 2021, which is the 60th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Kuwait, and the 75th anniversary of independence of India. The Ambassador also spoke about the centuries-old art legacy of India, while expounding on the exquisite nature of the artwork, the rich, vibrant and diverse cultural heritage of India and the efforts of the embassy to further strengthen bilateral links between India and Kuwait across all domains, particularly in the cultural domain.

For his part, the NCCAL Secretary-General in his address to the gathering talked about the historically close bilateral ties between Kuwait and India, and the important role of culture in driving this relationship forward.

President of the Kuwait Arts Association, Abdul Rasoul Salman also spoke about the excellent cooperation between the artists of India and Kuwait, and the potential to further strengthen this with frequent exchanges between the two countries.

The cultural show held on the occasion featured Indian classical dance forms of Kuchupudi, Kathak and Bharatnatyam that were presented in a spectacular fashion by artists from various Indian cultural associations in Kuwait.

The art exhibition showcases a collection of over three dozen paintings by Ms. Sibi that were rendered over a period of more than a decade. The paintings are a refreshing and colorful display of India through her eyes. The unique style evident in her paintings are a vivid reflection of her inner feelings and imagination.

The Arts Exhibition and the Cultural Festival, is open everyday from 5pm to 9pm until the 30th of September. People intending to visit the exhibition should note that COVID-19 related precautionary measures are being implemented during the course of the exhibition, and only vaccinated guests will be allowed entry to the exhibition venue.