All about Project PARI, praised by PM Narendra Modi in his monthly Mann ki Baat address

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised the success of Project PARI as a part of the government’s aim to bring emerging artists on one platform to popularise public art. The Prime Minister was speaking at his monthly radio show, Mann Ki Baat, where he lauded the Ministry of Culture’s Public Art of India (PARI) initiative.“Project PARI is becoming a great medium to bring emerging artists on one platform to popularise public art. While this enhances the beauty of our public places, it also helps in making our culture more popular,” he said while on-air.

A country can progress only by taking pride in its culture, the PM added.

“Pari means Public art of India. Take for example Bharat Mandapam of Delhi. Here you will get to see amazing artworks from all over the country. I urge art and culture lovers to work more on public art,” Modi said.

What is Project PARI?

PARI aims at “stimulating dialogue, reflection, and inspiration, contributing to the dynamic cultural fabric of the nation.” Additionally, the project hopes to uplift the “aesthetic and cultural outlook of New Delhi” in association with the Lalit Kala Akademi as well as the National Gallery of Modern Art.

The project was launched by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee Meeting which was held in New Delhi from July 21 to 31.

Over 150 visual artists from around the country participated in the project and worked on various sites in the national capital for beautification of public spaces prior to the World Heritage Committee Meeting. The artists were invited by the Lalit Kala Akademi, an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture.

“You must have seen beautiful paintings made on the roadsides, on walls and in underpasses. These paintings and art works are made by the artists who are associated with PARI,” said PM Modi during his radio show.

Traditional art forms such as sculptures, murals, and installations have been created by the artists engaged in this project. The artwork has been inspired by Rajasthan’s Phad paintings, West Bengal’s Alpona art, Telangana’s Cheriyal paintings, Kerala’s murals, and Gujarat’s Pithora Art, among others.