Timeless Art (Indian Art Series)

"I am delighted that the prestigious Museum of Sacred Art is organizing exhibitions of three prominent Indian artists in Belgium aimed at amalgamating different forms of spirituality associated with diverse global faiths through fine arts.

The theme of the exhibitions-Forms of Devotion-is apt in the context of the expositions that celebrate the multiplicity, diversity, creativity and vibrancy of devotional art of India in varied hues and forms. The unique paintings and calligraphic works of the Indian artists--Posapati Parameshwar Raju, Raghupati Bhat and Shobha Broota-transcend faiths and genres-figurative, mythological, abstract, Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain etc - and showcase the dynamic multi-religious and multi-cultural life of India to the west.

The antiquity of Indian civilization matched by the vastness of its geographical extent has contributed to the rich and multiple art forms of India. These art forms have been successfully presented by the Museum of Sacred Art not only in Belgium, but also in the whole of Europe over the last five years since its inception. I deeply appreciate the initiative of the Museum to encourage interfaith dialogue through fine arts as manifested in these upcoming exhibitions.

I am confident that the Indian art- loving people of Europe would once again have the opportunity to witness Indian mythology, icons and folk tales through the forthcoming exhibitions and that too after the just concluded Europalia-India Festival.

I convey my best wishes to the Museum of Sacred Art of Belgium for a successful organization of the forthcoming exhibitions ".

The prospect of inaugurating the 2014 art exhibits at MOSA with such outstanding, accomplished artists as Shobha Broota, Raghupati Bhat, and Poosapati Parameshwar Raju fills me with profound joy. The inauguration will be attended by our guest of honor His Excellency M.S. Puri, ambassador of India to Belgium and the EU, and art curator Sushma K. Bahl, who has written the texts about all three artists. Moreover, this festive event will be graced by musical performances by celebrated flautist Panditji Hariprasad Chaurasia and renowned sitar player Subrata De. Our exhibition program for Indian and International artists working on spiritual, devotional and sacred art is quite dynamic and our galleries in Belgium (Radhadesh, Durbuy) and Italy (Villa Vrindavan, Florence) will be showcasing many of them in the upcoming years.

MOSA's goal is to bridge the cultural divide between India and Europe and between material and spiritual life. Art is a perfect medium to do so, and we hope that many Europeans will discover the excellent Indian artists who try to convey a spiritual message. We are convinced that MOSA's visitors will come to appreciate and enjoy the currently exhibited work of all three artists.

Poosapati Parameshwar Raju brings us Lord Rama and Lord Krishna in a subtle yet captivating way. This is calligraphy at its best. Parameshwar Raju expertly fuses the world of words with the world of images, and captured in his strokes and delicate lines, the Ramayana seems to transcend both worlds. His series on World Faiths closely brings together symbols of various faiths, which reminds us that although there may be differences between different faiths, there are also similarities. Of course, considering all faiths to be the same is erroneous, but to pride oneself on being different and fight over religious matters is likewise mistaken and simply expressive of a neophyte and shallow understanding of the various faiths.

At MOSA we hope that the art we exhibit will contribute to a greater understanding and appreciation among the various faiths, so that they may all work together for the betterment of human society. By encouraging followers to understand and sincerely practice the teachings of their particular tradition, let us all eradicate whatever indifference towards spiritual progress still lingers within us, but let us not overemphasize or condemn the differences in our practices and theologies. Let us dialogue and cooperate to make the world a place free of greed, anger, lust, fear, envy, and so on.

Parameshwar Raju's art is a guide toward such dialogue and cooperation. And it is wonderfully complemented by Raghupati Bhat's work with which it shares gallery space. May this exhibition inspire MOSA visitors to discover an ancient culture, and may it inspire them to go deeper in introspection and spiritual reflection.

We are also delighted and honored that Parameshwar Raju will attend the opening of MOSA's 2014 art exhibits, and that he will demonstrate his skills to the other attendees.