Who runs Kala Kendra? Cultural academy or JDA

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, Oct 4: The Kala Kendra was supposed to provide platform to artists to showcase and preserve their talent, but in absence of coordination between different agencies which manage the Kendra it has turned out to be graveyard for the art.

About 30 stone sculptures were transferred from Abhinav Theater to the Kendra about two years back to give them proper display in absence of space at the Cultural Academy but they have been left haphazardly near the entrance, overtaken by the grass shrubs.

Sources further said that in absence of clear authority on the Kendra number of art works including some paintings kept inside the building are in dilapidated condition negating the very purpose for which the huge complex was built by the state government. 

At present the administration of the Kala Kendra is held by three departments Jammu Development Authority (JDA), Archive department and Cultural academy and sources said that there is total lack of coordination between them.

“How can we take any action as first we have to decide who is managing the Kendra, we don’t have clear authority on it”, said a official from Cultural Academy.

“Kendra does not come under us it has two more managers the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) and Archive department and unless they give us authority we can do something for these art pieces”, he said.

These stone sculptures carved out by some of the prominent artists from J&K and outside the state during the number of camps organized by the Cultural Academy now just appear as pieces of stones and even the visitors are unaware about them.

“At first I couldn’t understand what these stones are but at closer look I recognized them as art pieces. I am totally amazed by their condition”, said Vikram Sharma, a theater artist.

Sources further said that the Kendra was supposed to have a strong room for the preservation of art objects particularly the paintings keeping in view the climatic condition of Jammu but that has also not be build.

“It is not only the matter of stone sculptures but the very purpose of the Kendra for which it was build has been lost and it has become a battlefield among the three contenders who manage its different floors”, said a source.

It is pertinent to mention here that at Abhinav theater after repeated hue and cry raised by the artists in the state, the academy had raised platforms to give display to the art objects, but it took the officials about a 15-years to consider it.