About Shilpataru

Shilpataru is a group of artists from Pondicherry seeking to bring art and beauty into daily life, increasing awareness of the arts – ancient, modern and contemporary – through diverse activities.

Ancient Indian Art has always been grounded on deeper spiritual truths and values of life. Shilpataru seeks to re-invoke and re-interpret these ancient soul-values, understand and express them in the context of art and life today.

Shilpataru would like to create a platform to support, encourage and inspire activities that express art as a way of life, where beauty is truth, and truth beauty.

India today is searching for its cultural identity. Shilpataru would like, through different creative activities, to contribute to the process of reshaping the richness of this cultural identity.

It is not necessary for everybody to be an artist, but in order to grow into a cultured society it is essential that the aesthetic sense of every individual be cultivated. Shilpataru hopes to develop the aesthetic consciousness of the people through different events.

Art does not depend upon money but upon being open to beauty, feeling the need to give it some time and space in life. Beauty brings joy that is why it is so important to the overall well-being of the people. The aesthetic development of a being is not an extravagant need but a seminal necessity of the being. This is one of the important points that Shilpataru would like to focus on and work towards.

Shilpataru Objectives

Regular interaction and sharing between artists who want to live and understand art in a more holistic way.

Organising activities such as exhibitions, workshops, seminars, exchange programmes to increase the general awareness of visual arts (sculpture, painting, pottery, photography, graphics, installation, art history and art criticism).

Engendering activities to make art an integral part of life.

Research into the role of art in education, stressing on the need for individual growth and creativity at the basis of any activity.

Understanding the important role art plays in city planning, environment, nature, society and everyday spaces in order to bring harmony into life.

Publication of high quality art works at reasonable prices.

Collaborating with the Central and State Governments, organisations in India and abroad whose vision is in keeping with the objects of this Foundation.

Creating an art centre, gallery, studio, art library, multimedia room and art shop.      

Shilpataru Foundation, 2 Jawaharlal Nehru Street, Puducherry 605001, India

Phone: 00 91 (0) 413 2334157,shilpataru@auromail.net, www.shilpataru.org