Hubballi's sole art gallery cries out for attention

HUBBALLI: Whilst local artists are paying huge sums to display their paintings in private hotels and art galleries in many locations of the state, a government art gallery situated at Indira Glass House here has been crying for attention due to the alleged apathy of the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC).
The three-decade-old art gallery is the fruit of the efforts of legendary artist M V Minajagi, who got the art gallery established in 1981.

Former chief minister late Dharam Singh had inaugurated the gallery when he was the urban development minister. Later, the gallery was named after Minajagi. The gallery has not been maintained since 1996 and has remained closed since then due to paucity of staff and alleged negligence of HDMC that failed to allot funds for its maintenance.

Many artists are deprived of an opportunity to display their works of art at a lesser cost due to this gallery being closed. As there is no government art gallery in Hubballi, the artists are displaying their paintings at the government art gallery in Dharwad.

Senior artist Shankar Kundgold told TOI, "When artists ask HDMC to rent out the gallery to display their paintings, they get a negligent reply. HDMC blames the lack of staff for not maintaining the gallery."

Artists say the gallery was built by Nirmithi Kendra of the district administration and was handed over to the city corporation.

They have demanded that the gallery be reopened and repair works taken up besides deputing permanent staff for its maintenance.

In-charge assistant commissioner HDMC, S R Majumdar, said the gallery has been closed due to lack of staff. "However, the gallery will be developed under the Smart city project," he said.