Second Bihar Museum Biennale opens with exhibition from G20 countries

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav on Monday inaugurated the Bihar Museum Biennale, which opened with an exhibition showcasing artworks from G20 countries depicting universal issues of climate change, gender inclusion and migrations.

The exhibition, 'Together We Art', showcases the artworks of 19 artists from G20 countries, nine guest countries and India, aimed at integrating the artistic response to many concerns of the world today.

Minister of Art, Culture and Youth Development Jitendra Kumar Rai and Bihar Museum director general Anjani Kumar Singh also attended the inauguration.

Curated by Alka Pande, the G20 exhibition showcases artworks of celebrated Indian artists including Jayasri Burman, Seema Kohli, Subodh Gupta, Paresh Maity, Arpana Caur, Raghu Rai, Sudarshan Shetty and Bose Krishnamachari.

International artists featured at the exhibition include We Weishan (China), Thijs Biersteker (UK), Thalente Khomo (South Africa), Sara Sejin Chang (Netherlands), Robert Zhao Renhui (Singapore), Misako Shine (Japan) and Zeynep Özüm Ak and Yunus Ak (Turkey).

The inaugural ceremony also marked the foundation day of the Bihar Museum.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chief Minister Kumar said the museum transcends the notion of being a mere repository of artefacts.

"It metamorphoses into an immersive experience museum. The museum houses unique galleries dedicated to regional art, contemporary art, children and Bihar Santati, which proudly showcases the contributions of Biharis across the annals of time as they lent their brilliance to the world," he said.

The state government is working on an underground tunnel to connect the Bihar Museum and the Patna Museum, stretching for over 1.5 kilometres, Kumar said.

"The project is expected to be completed in the next three years. Once complete, it will enable visitors to explore both museums through this tunnel on a single ticket," he announced.

Beyond the G20 art exhibition, the Biennale has also brought together an art collaboration from Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS).

The CSMVS is showcasing a rich tapestry of Tanjore art paintings at an exhibition titled 'Three Dimensions of Divinity - Thanjavur Art Revealed'. It pays tribute to the unique layering technique of the art form.

The display by the Salar Jung Museum, titled 'Modern Indian Painting', showcases the culture of Telangana through an artistic lens.

The nearly four-month-long event will also see symposiums and conversations on museum conservation and collaboration.

On Tuesday, the biennale will host Yannick Lintz, president of Musee Guimet, Paris, who will share his perspective on curatorial strategies and displays in museums; Cymroza Art Gallery director Pheroza Godrej and Centre of International Modern Art director Rakhi Sarkar who will delve into the changing creative industry paradigms.