Promising necessary support to Odisha for promotion of art and culture, mainly tribal and folk culture, the Centre today sought the state government's help in locating art forms facing extinction so that prompt steps can be taken to save them.
"We will provide all support to Odisha for promotion of art and culture, particularly tribal and folk cultures," Union Culture Minister Chandresh Kumari Katoch said during laying of foundation stone of JD Centre of Art here.
The Ministry of Culture has already been taking necessary steps for preservation and promotion of tribal arts and culture in many states including Nagaland, Chhattisgarh and Odisha, She said.
Asking Odisha to extend necessary cooperation to the Centre in locating art forms and cultures facing extinction, the Union minister said such information would enable the Centre to take necessary steps to save tribal art and cultures from vanishing.
Odisha Governor S C Jamir praised renowned artist Jatin Das for playing a significant role in setting up of the art centre and said it would go a long way in enriching art.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said art can have a remarkable influence in our lives and it can sometimes change the way people look at the world besides exciting our aesthetic pleasures.
"Artistic creativity by nature is open-ended, leaving the onlookers to experience varying degrees of emotions and responses. In some way, art can structure our ways of looking at things," he said.
"Artists and art lovers are, perhaps, more sensible to things and happenings around them. They understand the subtler nuances of little things that normally escape the notice of a common man. Therefore, art can play a significant role in our endeavour for a sensible and humane society where people do care for each other's tangible and intangible needs," the chief minister said.
Patnaik expressed happiness over Jatin Das choosing his home state for establishment of the Centre of Art at Bhubaneswar.
